Cold Bodies, Warm Hearts
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: Weiss Schnee is the heiress to Schnee Dust, and as such she is often the target for crime. Luckily, her personal bodyguard Penny was created for the purpose of protecting Weiss. Although, as their time together time goes on, their relationship tiptoes beyond that of bodyguard and charge.
1. Chapter 1

**I'll be honest with you, this is an old roleplay and I barely even remember what we did during it haha. But it's one of the ships I originally coined and wrote the first ever fanfic for (it's called Rust). Weiss and Penny, or as I call it Cold Hard Cash, for lots of robot/lonely cold rich girl reasons.**

 **We wrote it several years ago so any mention/characterization of Winter/Whitely/Jacques is probably off from canon. It's a non-Beacon/non-huntress AU where Weiss is just the heiress to SDC, home-schooled and sheltered.**

 **It's in 5 parts and I hope you enjoy! Weiss' parts will begin underlined and Penny's will be Bolded. My partner for this who played Penny was jknight3135.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Cold Bodies, Warm Hearts

Part 1.

Weiss Schnee was a very important person.

She had a set schedule to abide by, a set time to wake up every morning so she could engage in her scrupulous activities.

There was a certain… _person_ , however, who would always ensure she woke on time, come barging - sometimes quite literally - into her bedroom with a much-too-loud and much-too-cheerful call of her name to rouse her. And as Weiss glared at her alarm clock now, she knew it wouldn't be long before that happened.

She opted to enjoy her last few minutes of rest, closing her eyes again and trying to hold onto the last few shreds of calmness before she could make out the sounds of uniform footsteps coming down the hall. She let out a long sigh as she counted down the final seconds.

 _5…4…3…2…_

 _. . ._

 **Penny walked briskly** down the halls of the Schnee manor, smiling a bit too widely and eyes a little too bright for that particular time of morning. She walked up to the door and knocked firmly before letting herself in anyway.

"Good morning, Miss Schnee!" Penny called into the room as she walked across it, throwing open the curtains to let in the early morning light. She turned her beaming smile to the room's sole occupant whose only reply was a poorly-concealed groan. Continuing with her wide smile, Penny moved about the room readying things for the heiress' day as per usual.

. . .

Weiss sighed, long and heavy, as her personal bodyguard barged through the door. But she really wasn't surprised anymore. She'd lived with the girl like this all her life, after all.

"Good morning, Penny," Weiss grumbled as she sat herself up. "On time, as always." She rubbed her eyes a bit, watching the girl as she bounded about the room, fixing every single object on every single surface until all was immaculate and not an iota of dust remained. Weiss had long-since given up telling the girl she didn't need to fix everything to such a degree, but Penny never listened, always politely saying things like "Everything has to be perfect - like you!"

She may have been an android, but other than the fact that Penny lacked a heart, there was nothing inhuman about her. She'd been designed and created with the sole purpose in mind to live and grow alongside Weiss, to be her bodyguard, her protector, and her closest companion. And she certainly was.

Sometimes a bit _too_ close.

Weiss made eye contact with the girl and offered a small smile. "And please, when we're alone, call me Weiss," she reminded her yet again.

. . .

 **"And you abed** and grumbling as always," Penny remarked with a giggle as she finished adjusting things to perfection.

Weiss was the only girl Penny had ever been close to; of course that's what she was _made_ to do. Serving and protecting the heiress from a young age, Weiss was the sole reason for her existence, and Penny always tried to treat her as such.

"Of course! And how are you feeling this early morning, Weiss?" Penny strolled over and stuck her smiling face right up close to the heiress' own, putting emphasis on her name.

. . .

Weiss might've taken offense to the comment if she hadn't known any better. But she knew nothing Penny ever said could be with ill-intent; not if it was to or about Weiss, anyway. The girl was always good-natured and peppy in all aspects involving the Schnee heiress.

When Penny skipped over to her, Weiss couldn't help but recoil at the intimate proximity. She should've been used to that by now too, but closeness was still something she was working on.

"I'm well. And I trust you are as well?" Weiss reached her hands up toward Penny so the girl could help her out of bed.

. . .

 **Penny smiled despite** Weiss moving away; intimacy with the heiress was difficult, but something Penny found immensely gratifying on the rare occasions it did happen. Penny reached out, helping the heiress out of the small mountain of downy pillows and comforters that was her bed.

"Sensational!" Penny giggled. "So what's on the agenda for today?"

. . .

 _"Just the usual,"_ Weiss replied before heading to her dresser to pull out a change of clothes. "Some combat training lessons. But my afternoon tutor caught a cold, so Father told me last night I'll be free this evening shortly after lunch."

It was a nice feeling to have a break every once in a while.

Weiss was an important person. She was the heiress to the company, after all, and even her sister Winter was accompanied by guards everywhere she went. Therefore, Weiss's father kept her inside as much as possible, homeschooling her and training her to fight.

But Weiss never really understood why she herself needed to learn. She enjoyed learning combat and was highly-skilled at it. But any issue that ever came her way was effortlessly dealt with by Penny before Weiss could so much as lift a finger.

Not much happened in the mansion that would require Penny's assistance in a fight, but a kidnapping attempt when Weiss was younger had called for Penny's constant presence with her ever since.

Weiss chose a blue combat skirt for the day, and soon slipped into it after freshening up in her personal bathroom. She was back beside Penny within moments.

"Let's get to breakfast first. Rather than the usual droids, I want to train with _you_ today, Penny."

. . .

 **Penny nodded, pleased.** Weiss was serious about her duties and training, a little too serious sometimes. Hearing there would be time to relax was good. Besides, that meant personal time with the heiress - something Penny always enjoyed.

As usual, Penny noticed Weiss' scar as she went about getting ready for the day; a memento from a time when Penny hadn't been there. While the heiress had always lamented the scar and its visibility, Penny did her best to reassure her that she looked beautiful, commenting that the scar gave her a "fierce beauty".

Penny smirked; she hadn't always had that expression. She was sure she had picked it up from Weiss. Sparring with her mistress had become a more and more regular occurrence as Weiss' skills surpassed the standard androids, making them trivial opponents.

"Of course."

Training with Weiss was thrilling to Penny, a sign of trust, and an intimacy, a dance of skill and sweat, careful grace and feral beauty.

. . .

When she was finished tying her hair up into its usual ponytail, Weiss straightened herself up before heading to the door. Penny bounded at her side, eager as ever to start a new day.

Growing up as she had, Weiss did not have many friends. Any hopes of making them were thwarted by her father's decision to keep her indoors to keep her safe. Penny was her closest companion, and Weiss often dismissed or forgot the fact that she wasn't human.

She still sat down to eat beside Weiss every morning, noon, and evening. She still talked and trained with Weiss every day. She still offered comfort and needed a bit of comforting herself from time to time. She still grew and showed signs of aging as the years went on.

The only thing that was different was beneath her skin, and Weiss didn't care for any of that. Penny was her friend, though it'd take a little effort to ever have her admit such a thing out loud.

They reached the dining hall, and Weiss greeted her father, sister, and brother at the table before taking her seat.

. . .

 **Penny took her** customary seat next to the heiress. While she didn't _need_ to eat, it was one of her duties to make sure nothing Weiss ate was poisoned.

In all their years together the worst Penny had ever discovered was a bit of egg that was a little too far past its sell-by date, but she always insisted on trying anything before Weiss ate any of it. Though if she was being honest with herself, it was just to tease the stubborn girl.

As she sat down, Penny greeted the other members of the Schnee family with courteous nods as food was brought in. Weiss picked up her utensils, but Penny put a hand on hers, stopping her from eating and giving her a teasing look.

"Come now We- Miss Schnee, you know I have to try it first." She almost used her name casually, not something to be done in front of her father.

. . .

Weiss sighed, rolling her eyes good-naturedly.

"Right. How careless of me…" She momentarily put down her utensils and waited for Penny to test the food.

Penny had normal taste buds, so she would react as a human would to poison. Initially, Weiss had been upset that should her food ever truly be poisoned, Penny would suffer the consequences. But luckily for the both of them, Penny's body was equipped with special neurons and devices that would cure her entirely after the initial warning sings of foul play were detected.

If any of the family chefs had wanted Weiss dead, they would have attempted it by now.

. . .

 **Presently,** Penny took a bite of the heiress' food, and Weiss waited patiently for the verdict.

Penny smiled, forking a few bites from Weiss's plate and chewing on it thoughtfully for few moments.

"It's fine," she replied smiling at her charge.

While she admitted to herself that it was at the very most extremely unlikely someone would try to poison Weiss, especially one of the family's own chefs, part of the reason she still insisted on doing it was because she didn't know what she would do with herself if something ever did happen to Weiss.

. . .

"Thank you, Penny," Weiss said. She then took up her fork and knife again and began eating slowly. Her father and sister struck up casual conversations about work or news in town, and Weiss joined in whenever she saw fit. She glanced sideways at Penny a few times to make sure she ate as well.

When at last they had finished, Weiss excused herself. "Thank you for the meal. Now then," she turned to Penny expectantly. "Let's head on over to the training area."

She led the way down the halls that seemed to stretch for miles, but the quick, confident stride Weiss had grown up strutting all her life had her covering the distance in only a few moments.

They reached the exit that led to an outdoor training area, closed off and secured by high fences. Sometimes, their fights could get a little out of hand, so all equipment was made to be sturdy. The ground was majorly level, but there were several hurdles, targets, and jumps set up randomly, changed every day by the servants to keep the heiress' skills sharp.

She turned to Penny and smiled kindly. "Myrtenaster, if you would?"

. . .

Penny followed Weiss's confident stride with her own even pace, quickly reaching the enclosed training grounds. She couldn't help but smile as they walked out onto the familiar grounds - she had many good memories here with Weiss.

At Weiss' request, Penny piped up.

"Certainly!"

Taking the slim rapier from its case, Penny presented it to Weiss, the blade across her open palms as a pair of her own swords floated up behind her, sliding into her hands as Weiss took Myrtenaster. Easing back into her familiar ready stance, Penny grinned across to Weiss.

"En garde!"

. . .

Weiss dipped her head gratefully as she accepted her beloved rapier from the petite hands of her bodyguard. The heiress then took a step back, her blade never leaving its mark where it was aimed at Penny, her eyes never leaving that bright teal gaze that followed her every move.

When she was satisfied with the distance between them, Weiss smirked a little, letting the fun of it all overtake her.

" _Allez_."

And with that, she charged forward, utilizing her semblance of glyphs to propel herself forward across the open field. She aimed for Penny's legs; as her mistress, Weiss knew all of the girls weak spots.

But of course, the same was true for Penny.

. . .

 **Grinning as the** dance began, Penny dodged to the side, avoiding Weiss' charge as she brought her pair of swords to bear. Weiss was an excellent fighter with the rapier, but against Penny's twin swords she could be overwhelmed.

But of course they knew each other well enough that it was never that easy.

Swords sang as they clashed, humming from impact after impact as they danced, sidestepping and parrying with long practiced skill.

One of the things she loved most about her training fights with Weiss was that she never really knew who would win; it took but the slightest mistake and the game would be over, just a matter of who would blink first.

And then an opening. Her teal eyes locked with Weiss' crystal blue ones, and in them was a smirk. At this moment Penny realized she had left an opening as well, both moving to exploit. This dance was coming to an end and Penny wasn't sure who was winning.

. . .

Weiss had been raised to be elegant in every sense of the word, and her performance on the battlefield was certainly not an exception. She'd once been told fighting was not unlike dancing, being able to read a partner's motions and follow them, match them step for step.

She twisted her body at every angle necessary to avoid Penny's blades, though Weiss knew they would never actually touch or hurt her. Agile as a cat, the heiress flipped backward off one of her glyphs, crouching and then kicking off one of the hurdles and throwing herself back into the fray.

They were evenly matched more often than not, and Weiss always requested a spar with Penny whenever she grew bored of the usual droids.

It was constant action between them, only a few brief pauses to catch the other's eyes, see if she could read her partner's next move before she could make it. The consistent flow of motion made the half hour they sparred seem like mere minutes. It was exhilarating and intoxicating, and if she could, Weiss would never stop.

But unlike Penny, she was only human, and she had her limits.

One more dodge and one more strike found them at a stalemate, blades at one another's throats, the intensity in their eyes fading as the tension left their shoulders.

"Another draw," Weiss huffed, sheathing her rapier. "I'll best you… next time…" she promised smugly. "Perhaps later though… I need a moment to slow my heart…" She put a hand to her chest and did her best to catch her breath, perpetually in awe - and slightly jealous - that Penny never seemed to be affected in the slightest after such rigorous combat.

. . .

 **Penny lowered** her blades, allowing them to float back to their sheaths as Weiss rested.

"I believe that is the fourth time you've said you'll best me… next time," Penny replied with a wry smile.

Then she watched, interested as Weiss put a hand over her heart. A fascination of hers - the human heart that is.

She did not know what it was like to have something like that always alive and beating, and Weiss' heartbeat had enthralled her ever since the first time she had heard it. It had taken her weeks to build up the courage to ask something so intimate of Weiss, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

"Your heart…" Penny murmured, the sound breaking her out of her own reverie as she noticed she had been staring.

. . .

Weiss rolled her eyes as Penny spoke a little amusedly to her. "I know I've said it before… but I actually mean it this time…" she muttered.

The heiress coughed a few times, pacing back and forth for a few seconds and trying to get her pulse to drop. But when she next looked up, her eyes met bright teal again. There was a familiar look in Penny's gaze, and Weiss knew exactly what it meant.

She still remembered the first time Penny had showed interest in her heart. It had been several years ago, and Weiss had only begrudgingly agreed to let her listen then. As they grew older, however, Weiss got more used to the physical contact, uncommon as it was, but still preferred to do such things behind closed doors.

But… no one was here now….

She sighed hopelessly and offered Penny a small smile.

"If… If you'd like to… listen… you're welcome to come here for a moment…"

Weiss opened her arms slightly, inviting.

. . .

 **Penny glanced around** excitedly before quickly moving to Weiss' side. She smiled and gently placed her hands on Weiss' waist, lowering her ear over the heiress' chest, feeling the heat of her body after their training and smelling the light tinge of salty sweat.

 _Ba-thump…_

The bass thump of Weiss' heartbeat filled her ears, causing her to smile. She couldn't quite say why she enjoyed it so much - on the rare occasions Weiss would indulge her, it made her feel closer to the young heiress than anything else. It made her feel warm even though her body was naturally cold due to the lack of a heart of her own.

She closed her eyes and just listened, letting Weiss' gentle heartbeat blot out everything else.

Content to just listen as long as Weiss would allow her to, here was where she felt _real_ , more than just a bodyguard - this was her reason for staying by Weiss' side. She didn't know exactly what it meant or what it was, but she knew it made her happy.

. . .

Weiss shivered slightly as Penny pressed herself against her in a gentle embrace. The girl's body was cold on the surface, but if one was lucky enough to get close to her, there was a warmth Penny possessed that no one else on Remnant had. The heiress herself was cold to the touch and always had been, and she felt that Penny and Penny alone understood her in that sense.

Weiss wrapped her arms around the ginger-haired girl as she nestled close against her collar. Like this, Weiss could feel the workings of Penny's body, the little ticks and clicks of things as they moved about. While others may have flinched, she was more than use to it all by now.

But if slowing her heart was what she intended to do, letting Penny listen to it wasn't going to help Weiss' cause. It made her bashful to know she was listening, and the heiress felt her face grow hot. Rather than slow down, she was sure her heart rate was picking up again, and before long she brought her hands to Penny's shoulders, giving a light push.

"All right… I'm fine now. Let's get back to training for a while." She met Penny's eyes, her own cheeks still flushed.

. . .

 **Penny felt the** slight push and was about to move away when she heard Weiss' heartbeat increase in tempo. She stayed just long enough to hear another beat, definitely faster, before she moved away, immediately missing the comforting sound and gentle embrace.

She didn't know what would cause Weiss' heart to beat faster so suddenly. Slightly worried, she looked up to her.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

. . .

Weiss put her hand back to her chest to try and calm the turmoil within. "Y-Yes. I'm quite sure. Don't worry about it." She looked away, cheeks still pink, willing the blush to leave them.

"Well then, like I said, I've got the afternoon off, so what say you to a quick lunch? And then we can stay inside. It looks like it's about to rain soon anyway. I can catch up on some paperwork."

Without waiting for an answer, she began heading off toward the mansion before Penny could bring up the matter of her heart again.

But she knew Penny, and she knew if the girl set her mind to a topic, she wouldn't come off it until it was addressed fully. Weiss just hoped she could slip out of this one.

. . .

 **Penny jogged** to catch up, saving her questions for later. Still not quite satisfied with Weiss' answer, she figured she could at least wait until later tonight when they would be alone.

"All right, lunch and then paperwork! But only if you promise you'll take some time to actually relax before bed. Rest is essential!" Penny proclaimed, giving the heiress a pointed, but good-natured glare.

. . .

Weiss straightened her posture as she continued to walk. "We'll see. It depends if I can finish all of my work on time. I dislike not meeting my quota, you know that. I'll work hard to finish," she promised.

They ate a brief lunch, light and simple, getting back some energy after the exhilarating training regime. Once they'd finished, Weiss led the way to her private study. She only had tutoring lessons a few days a week, and on the other days she would use the time to complete her assignments.

She had a pile of things to get into now, and she took her seat and set to work, Penny offering the occasional assistance whenever necessary.

Weiss was good at working nonstop, though that oftentimes meant she didn't know _when_ to stop. She hardly spoke a word for over two hours as she researched on her scroll and personal computer, transferred information, read articles, and wrote down pages' worth of information. She liked working and being busy almost as much as she enjoyed battle training, pausing only when her fingers got numb as she shook them out.

. . .

 **Penny sighed,** knowing that Weiss could and often _would_ get caught up in her work. No sooner had they arrived in her private study than Weiss was already busy.

Penny knew she enjoyed it to a certain extent - she was a master of organization and the like. Penny helped when she could, often getting books or other documents from around the room while Weiss stayed at her desk. The rest of the time Penny merely sat and watched, knowing that Weiss hated being interrupted.

It wasn't until the fourth time Weiss had to shake her hands to regain feeling that Penny finally decided that was enough.

"Come on Weiss, I think that's _plenty_ for today! Give your hands a break." Penny went up to Weiss' desk and placed her hands on it to lean over.

. . .

Weiss blinked herself back into reality, pulled from her reverie where she had been lost in her work as Penny spoke her name. The heiress sat back a little and rubbed her eyes briefly, curling her fingers again.

"Just a moment, Penny. I'm almost finished with this assignment. I need to finish it now, or else I won't be able to delve back in from here tomorrow. I'll forget all I want to say." She offered a reassuring smile. "I won't be much longer, I promise."

She continued to work, putting her full effort into completing the assignment. And even then, it took another half hour for her to put the final touches on things.

When at last it was completed, Weiss' posture faltered a bit and she wiped an arm across her face, heaving a sigh. "All right. I'll be up in a moment. I'm just… a bit dizzy…"

. . .

 **Penny frowned** , but moved back to her seat to allow Weiss to finish her work - it was better to let her finish rather than try and argue with her.

"Not one more thing as soon as this is done!" she replied giving Weiss a doting glare.

When Weiss finally finished, Penny could tell she had been working too hard, from her exhausted look and shaky movement. Penny moved quickly to her side, shaking her head.

"You are working too hard! You need to relax." Penny leaned over to help Weiss up. "Come on. What do you want to do, that _isn't_ work?" she asked.

. . .

"Sorry," she murmured. Weiss knew she could be her own worst enemy sometimes, and she truly felt guilty about worrying Penny so much. She leaned slightly against her for support, blinking until her vision evened out.

She pondered the question for a moment before giving her reply. "Well.. considering my afternoon was freed up, I'm not really hungry enough for supper. I suppose I could just retreat to my room early this evening."

She knew doing as much would not only feel good for herself, but would compensate for worrying Penny; it would make her bodyguard feel much better if Weiss were to retire early.

"I promise no more work until tomorrow, okay? Thank you for looking out for me, Penny." Without even thinking too much into it, Weiss pressed a small, appreciative kiss to the girl's cheek.

. . .

 **Penny held onto** the girl until she steadied before loosening her hold, if only slightly. "It's what I'm here for! Don't worry about it. Retiring early sounds like a stupendous idea!"

Going to bed early would be good for helping Weiss recover, and it would give Penny an opportunity to ask her about why her heart had beat faster after training.

Then Penny felt Weiss' lips press briefly against the side of her cheek. A bolt of warmth like lightning surged through her, causing her to look up for half a second before she blinked and the feeling faded, leaving a lasting warmth where Weiss' lips had been. The aftereffect left her feeling bubbly and happy as she escorted Weiss back towards her room.

. . .

"You work too hard sometimes too, you know," Weiss informed the girl. Penny continued to hold onto her all the way back to her quarters, halting to support Weiss whenever she needed to rest for a moment to fight off a dizzy spell.

They reached Weiss' room, and the heiress led Penny inside. The sunlight that filled the room in orange splashes signified that it was almost sunset, and Weiss wouldn't feel so bad about resting early if she wasn't wasting daylight.

"Thank you, Penny." She slipped away from her aide and went to her dresser to pull out her blue nightgown. Penny often slept in the room beside Weiss' where she could keep alert to the sounds of anything that could potentially go amiss while still allowing Weiss her privacy. But tonight, Weiss decided to offer a change of plans.

"Penny? Would you… like to stay with me tonight? You've done so much for me today, as you have been all my life, but these past few weeks in particular. I know you're uneasy when you have to leave me, and I would rather you stay as well. So….?" She looked over to the ginger-haired girl curiously.

. . .

 **As Weiss moved** away to get her nightgown, Penny did her usual, going about the room and adjusting the few things that had gone amiss since her patrol that morning, humming happily to herself, still feeling bubbly and wondering what she was going to do with herself after Weiss went to bed.

And then an unexpected request.

"Oh?" Penny cocked her head, a smile slowly growing on her face. "O-Of course I will! Certainly! Anything for you, Weiss!" The setting sun was at her back making her red hair seem to glow in the evening light. "I'll go change into something to sleep in while you finish getting ready for bed. I'll be right back!"

Grinning, she hurried out the door.

. . .

Weiss watched as the excited girl scampered off to get a change of clothes. The heiress then retreated to her personal bathroom and washed up a bit, brushing her teeth and letting down her hair to comb through it before slipping into her soft sleepwear.

Once she'd finished up, she returned to her bed and took a seat on the edge, gazing out the window and across the distant buildings of Vale, tracing the line of the horizon with her eyes. It had be a while since Penny had stayed in the same bed as her for a night, probably over a year, and the heiress admitted she was… a bit flustered.

She knew she liked Penny far more than she should've, and needed to remind herself that there was nothing wrong with that. Penny experienced every emotion just as humans did, save from exhaustion and fatigue. But she could still love…

Weiss shook her head, trying not to dwell on those thoughts right now. But she needed to remind herself that Penny was a normal girl and deserved everything Weiss did, and then some.

. . .

 **Penny quickly changed** into her own sleeping attire, a simple pair of loose comfortable pants and a t-shirt in the same green and black and beige of her normal uniform.

As she walked back to Weiss' room, she thought of the kiss Weiss had given her earlier - she couldn't remember that ever happening before. Weiss had given her silly friendly kisses on the cheek before, posing for pictures or some such, but she had never felt that… that electricity before.

While she was fully capable of feeling any normal human emotion, it didn't mean she was any better at understanding them.

Penny returned to Weiss' room, shutting the door behind herself. She walked over to Weiss' bed and sat down on the edge next to her.

"It's been quite a while hasn't it?" she replied rubbing the back of her head bashfully.

. . .

Weiss looked up when the girl reentered the room, closing the door for privacy's sake. Penny sat down beside her, and it was a soft, slow motion.

Around others, Penny was a loud, hyperactive, energetic girl, and she could be that way around Weiss as well.

But it was times like these when she was reserved and quiet that truly got to Weiss. It was a side of Penny no one else got to see, a behavior she and she alone had the pleasure and honor of experiencing. It made her feel special, and like she was special to Penny as more than just a mistress or a sparring partner.

"Yes. It's been too long, I think," Weiss agreed. She pulled her legs up onto the bed and moved the blankets down. The long day was catching up with her, and the heiress laid herself down onto her back, exhaling a long, slow breath. "Make yourself comfortable, Penny." She patted the space beside her invitingly.

. . .

 **Penny slid herself** into the bed slowly and laid down next to Weiss, getting comfortable, pulling the thick comforter part-way up. She laid her head down on the pillow, looking across to Weiss next to her, and then down to where her heart beat beneath the blue fabric.

Penny chewed on her lower lip - dare she ask?

She looked back up to Weiss' crystal blue eyes, seeing that the heiress had noticed her meaningful glance and figured she was caught.

"May I?" She questioned, hoping Weiss wouldn't mind terribly to indulge her. Some small part of her still wondered about the rapid heartbeat earlier, and she wanted to listen again and hear it to make sure the heiress was okay.

. . .

Weiss knew that when she invited Penny to stay the night that this would be a part of the deal. But she was confident she could handle it.

She smiled kindly. "Of course you may."

Weiss opened up her arms again as Penny slipped easily into them. Weiss pulled her close, positioning the girl slightly on top of herself, allowing Penny to rest her head over her chest. The heiress kept her arms around the girl's torso, and her fingers went to curl through her soft hair.

She stared up at the ceiling, still bright with a bit of sunlight, trying to slow her breathing. She was convinced she could stay composed and focused on inhaling slowly and deeply, and exhaling in time.

And for a while, Weiss succeeded in keeping calm. But once Penny started snuggling closer to listen better, the heiress felt her breath hitch as she was forced to remember she was _listening_. The blood rushed to her face as the realization washed over her for the second time that day.

She lost count of how many seconds each breath lasted, and her pristine routine was ruined within the blink of an eye. She could feel her own pulse faintly, and the controlled, slow pace it had maintained until seconds ago was completely gone. It was pounding hard and fast now, and she squeezed Penny tighter subconsciously, silently begging it to slow down.

 _Damn, I was doing so well-!_

 _. . ._

 **Penny hummed happily** as she snuggled up against Weiss, resting her head against Weiss' chest as the heiress embraced her, running her soft hands through Penny's hair.

Penny listened happily to the rhythmic beat of Weiss' heart, smooth and steady as usual now. Reassured, she relaxed, allowing herself to be lost in the steady rhythm as she closed her eyes and snuggled a little closer.

And then it happened again. Weiss' heart began to beat faster, and before long was pounding in her chest. Penny opened her eyes and moved herself up onto one arm, looking into Weiss' eyes worriedly.

"Weiss, why is your heart beating so fast? Are you ill?" she worried, eyes darting scanning her charge.

. . .

Weiss groaned internally, knowing she'd set Penny off on the topic yet again. She quickly tried to brush it off.

"N-No, I'm not ill at all. I'm fine, Penny. I'm just fine. Don't pay it any mind." She turned her face away, knowing it was pink. "It'll be fine in a moment." _Hopefully_.

She reached up and brought Penny back down to her prior position so she couldn't see Weiss' face, and the heiress tried to resume her slower breathing and deep intakes of breath to slow her heart again.

She swore it was a plot of the universe against her, because nothing was working anymore. Her breathing was still quick and shallow and her pulse still was hammering. She knew she was digging her own grave; she simply held onto a shred of hope that Penny wouldn't bring it up again.

"It's fine," Weiss said aloud to convince the both of them. "It's… it's fine…"

. . .

 **Penny allowed Weiss** to pull her back down, hearing her slamming heartbeat again and knew Weiss was trying to brush it off. She gave Weiss a minute to see if it would calm again, but when it didn't, Penny continued to fret.

"Weiss… why is your heart like this? Please- you know you can tell me… I'm _worried_ about you…"

Penny mumbled the last part, but since she hadn't moved her head from Weiss' chest, she knew that the heiress would have heard her. Penny hoped Weiss would tell her what she was obviously trying to hide. She didn't know what it could be that was making Weiss hesitate to tell her, and that concerned her.

. . .

If they could just _ignore_ the issues of her misbehaving heart, Weiss knew it would get better before long. But talking about it - and while Penny was still listening to every beat - wasn't going to do much good. If Weiss kept acknowledging it, it would only get faster, and it was.

But she knew she was worrying Penny, and that was unfair. She knew that if their positions had been reversed, Weiss would be just as curious and concerned as Penny was now.

She took a deep breath and swallowed, breathing heavier in hopes to calm things down.

"It's… it's normal, Penny. It's normal for a person's heart to be this way when they're embarrassed or after lots of exercise. I'm not sick, I promise. Please don't worry. I'm only…" She couldn't think of the right word, so she tried something else. "It's only so fast… because _you're_ listening. It can be bad for it to beat so quickly, but not for reasons like this."

She hoped she was making _some_ sense.

. . .

 **Penny closed her** eyes and listened to the rapid pulse. Something inside made her smile; _she_ was making Weiss like this. Maybe… maybe it wasn't a bad thing, but then what _was_ it?

"It's only so fast because of me?" Penny wondered aloud. "Am I different to you than someone else? Does anyone else make your heart beat fast like this?" she rambled.

. . .

Weiss had hoped to get off the topic now that she'd answered the initial question, but Penny was prepared with an arsenal of new ones. Weiss sighed, feeling the girl on top of her move in time with the exhale.

"No," she replied, deciding to give a straight answer instead of dodging. "There are times when it'll beat quickly around certain people, if I'm nervous or scared. That time… a few years ago, when I was almost kidnapped-" Her breath hitched at the memories of it all, and she quickly tried to push them away. "Back then… when my heart was beating, it was so fast and hard… it hurt…"

She realized she was shaking, and her pulse probably took a fearful throb to it. But she closed her eyes and nuzzled her nose into Penny's soft hair, breathing mor evenly.

"But now… it's not bad, Penny. It's fast, yes, but it's for a good reason. And no one else can make that happen except for you. You're special to me."

. . .

 **Penny listened intently** as Weiss tried to explain what was happening to her. She heard Weiss' heartbeat hammer at the memory of the failed kidnapping, so she hugged her a little tighter.

She was here - Penny swore to herself that there should never be a reason for Weiss to be scared as long as she was near.

Penny smiled as Weiss nuzzled into her hair and her heart returned to the happy flutter it had been before. She nestled herself a little deeper into Weiss, pressing their bodies close under the blankets. She hummed happily and smiled. She was special to Weiss, and Weiss was special to her.

"You know... you've made me feel things no one else has ever made me feel." She turned her face down so Weiss wouldn't be able to see her blush. "Like when you gave me that kiss earlier…"

. . .

Weiss shifted so that rather than having Penny lay partially over her, the girl rested fully on top of Weiss' stomach and chest. This way, she could still listen to Weiss' heart, but the heiress enjoyed the weight against her; she felt protected, secure-

-and undeniably warm.

Most people assumed Penny was cold to the touch, but there was only a thin layer of cool beneath her skin. Overall, Penny was as warm as any human being, perhaps even more so than Weiss herself.

The heiress' body shuddered as she adjusted to the warmth pressed against her. She reached up to gently tug the pink ribbon out of Penny's hair and place it aside, curling her fingers through the soft, thick, ginger tresses. She then had Penny turn her head a little, and Weiss dipped her face down to kiss the girl's temple.

"You like it when I kiss you?"

. . .

 **Penny allowed herself** to be pulled on top of Weiss, cuddling herself against the slight girl.

She knew Weiss was unusually cold - by human standards it was something they both shared. But when she were this close for long enough, her underlying warmth would seep through.

It occurred to her that she may have been the only person ever to feel Weiss' inner warmth, being the only one Weiss ever allowed close enough.

She felt Weiss pull the bow out and run her soft fingers through her hair before tilting her head up and placing a light kiss on her forehead. She was sure she went cross-eyed as she watched Weiss, that same feeling of electric warmth shooting through her and seeming to settle in her cheeks.

"Y-Yes…" she stammered.

. . .

Weiss smiled kindly in the fading sunlight. The darkness was just starting to slip in, but she could see the brightness of Penny's eyes more clearly than anything. The girl was a bit stiff, and somehow, Weiss had calmed herself down enough to be less tense than her bodyguard.

She felt she knew a way to make Penny relax.

"Then let me give you some more…"

Wrapping her arms around the back of Penny's neck, she pulled her down slowly. She kissed Penny's forehead again, cool lips to cool skin, though the contact was soft.

Weiss then moved to Penny's cheek, the tip of her nose, and then the bridge of it before she couldn't hold herself up any longer. She fell back onto her pillow and caught her breath, rubbing her hands up and down Penny's slim back, willing the girl to relax a bit.

. . .

 **Penny felt each kiss,** felt each touch of soft cool lips to her face, each one followed by the jolt of warmth shooting through her.

When Weiss laid back down, Penny melted, mechanical muscles easing off as she rested on top of the heiress. Weiss rubbed small circles into her back and she hummed pleasantly, Weiss' heartbeat still thrumming in her ears.

"I could stay like this forever! Just you and I, warm together. It's sensational," she hummed lazily. "What does it mean when you care for someone that much? Do you know, Weiss?" Penny cooed, her grasp of human emotions eluding her.

. . .

Weiss sighed blissfully as Penny rested against her. She'd gotten used to the slight hardness of her bodyguard's form, and by now, all Weiss could feel was the softness, the way Penny molded herself into her, fitting perfectly.

All the nights she'd spent alone and cold in bed, Weiss had felt a clawing loneliness. Only now was all that stuff of the past. She wondered why it'd taken her so long to think to invite Penny to rest with her.

She wondered if Penny missed her at night just as much, but liked to believe she knew the answer for sure.

Instead of answering the girl's question right away, Weiss decided to reply with another question.

"I'm fairly certain I know what it all means, but let me ask you, Penny…" She tapped the girl's shoulder, waiting until Penny lifted her head and looked down to meet her eyes. "How would you feel… about kissing me?"

. . .

 **Penny enjoyed her** closeness with Weiss. Every night she slept by herself she worried, without cause mostly, but none the less she worried.

And now, snuggled close, she felt better, not only able to keep Weiss safe but also just so she didn't have to sleep alone. She was with the one she cared about most.

She looked to the side, half closing her eyes before smiling affectionately. She dipped her head and placed a soft kiss over Weiss' heart, then another along her jaw, and one on her cheek before moving towards her lips.

"I- I think I figured out what it means," she replied softly, cool lips hovering less than an inch from Weiss' own. Penny looked into Weiss' crystal eyes, asking for permission.

. . .

She must've been insane.

For most of her life, Penny had been her bodyguard, her aide, and her protector. She was always helping Weiss, defending her and agreeing with her, a constant, reliable source of support. They had grown closer over the years, and every day they grew closer and closer still.

Weiss knew she'd fallen for the girl, and for the longest time had repressed those emotions, thinking it was improper.

But once she'd finally admitted defeat, she realized she didn't care what society thought of her having affections for her bodyguard. It was beyond her control, and honestly, knowing Penny felt the same and always had made Weiss' heart swell gleefully.

She didn't care if she was insane.

It was all happening so quickly, and she let it. When Penny looked cautiously down into her eyes, politely and patiently asking consent, Weiss couldn't give it quickly enough. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her arms pulling Penny down ever so slightly.

. . .

 **This was right.**

This moment, this sensation - she was real and she was alive, and hopelessly _hopelessly_ in love.

Warmth filled Penny even though Weiss' lips were cool, pressed ever so tenderly but needfully against her own. Her eyes fluttered shut as she poured all of her emotion into that kiss; she wanted Weiss to know how she felt and this was the only way Penny knew how to show her.

She wasn't sure if this was right, if it was okay for her to be like this with Weiss, the one she was meant to protect.

She also wasn't sure she cared. This moment was too _right,_ too perfect. She didn't care what anyone else thought. All that mattered was Weiss.

. . .

The seconds leading up to the kiss were borderline torment, and Weiss kept second-guessing herself; what if Penny pulled away? What if Weiss messed this up? Or worse - what if she was dreaming, if none of this was real?

Thankfully, Penny didn't let her fret for too long.

The contact started out light and tentative. But before it could get awkward or either of them could even consider recoiling, they melted into it easily. Weiss pushed up against her lips, and Penny's weight added almost no pressure on her chest, allowing Weiss to move freely.

This was the first time she'd ever kissed or been kissed, and Weiss nearly cried from the wash of emotion that overcame her then. She'd never felt so complete, so entirely whole, so warm…

So _loved_ …

A few tears ended up slipping down in the end, and her heart was thrumming. Weiss was reluctant to lay her head back down and break the contact to catch her breath, her stomach rising up into Penny's as she refilled her lungs. Her voice was thick from crying, but a smile spread over her lips as she spoke only one word:

" _Penny…_ "

. . .

 **Penny nearly collapsed** into Weiss as they separated, burying her face into the side of the heiress' neck. A single gasped word escaped her lips in response:

" _Weiss…"_

She held her close, wrapping her arms around Weiss, needing to feel her. Pressing her cheek against Weiss', she felt wetness.

Pushing up, she saw tears on the heiress' cheek, but the glowing smile let her know they were of joy. She smiled back, eyes full of affection as she gently wiped the tears away with the back of her hand.

"Weiss…" She murmured again, voice thick as tears began to cloud her vision.

 _This_ was alien, something she was never meant to do, but Weiss had let her in, given her something she never thought she would have: Love.

. . .

Weiss closed her eyes for a moment as she felt Penny's fingers gliding lightly over her cheeks, catching her tears. And when Penny said her name like that - the usual energy and volume traded for quiet sincerity…

Weiss cried harder.

It was embarrassing to let Penny see her like this - she knew she must've looked like a train wreck as she sobbed softly. But when she next managed to reopen her eyes, a light gasp came out.

"Penny…"

There was a wetness behind the girl's teal eyes, and Weiss held her breath.

Penny had never cried before, not in all the twelve years they'd been together since her creation when Weiss was five. Weiss had simply assumed it wasn't possible for her to shed tears, considering she could not feel pain as strongly as a human could. But Weiss had never considered the thought that Penny could cry from joy like she could.

Weiss smiled up at her, more tears spilling over.

"Penny… come here…" She brought the girl down to her, kissing her cheeks just beneath her eyes, happy that Penny felt just as elated as Weiss herself did. "You're so precious to me," she breathed. "More than you could ever know…"

. . .

 **Weiss cradled Penny** against her, placing gentle kisses on her as the tears finally slid down her cheeks.

"Weiss, you are the only thing in the world that matters to me. Only because of you do I live. Only because of you do I have a heart." Penny placed her hand gently over Weiss' chest. "Beating fast enough for both of us."

She held herself close to Weiss, let the heiress' heartbeat fill her senses as she relaxed into the embrace; and for that moment Penny knew what it was like to have a heart.

"I'm yours."

. . .

Weiss may have let slip a chuckle at Penny's clever words. A small, cool hand was placed over the center of her collar, where Weiss' heart beat strongest. Only Penny could do such a thing; Weiss trusted her entirely, body and soul.

"I'm yours as well," Weiss promised.

Words. But she wanted to give her proof. And she could think of only one thing.

She held Penny tightly, feeling the intimate workings of her body as Weiss encouraged her to listen to the song of her heart.

"Listen. You can hear it, can't you? My heart beats only for you, Penny. It's yours. _I love you._.." She kissed the top of the girl's head, and with her confession came a new fervor to her pulse, a new wetness to her cheeks, and a new warmth to her chest.

. . .

 **Penny hummed happily,** floating in utter bliss as Weiss held her close.

"It really is beating for me, isn't it? That's spectacular! I love it. _I love you…"_ She spoke quietly into the girl's white hair as she nestled back into her.

With those words came a new conviction; bodyguard wasn't a strong enough word anymore. She was Weiss' guardian now, the shield to her sword, her comfort when she was down, her partner in times of need, and her lover when times were calm and the rest of the world could be shut away.

Weiss was her everything and Penny was determined to be her _anything_ when she needed it.

. . .

It was almost unreal, almost unbelievable, but Penny's warmth was more than enough proof. Weiss was glad things had come to light between them at long last. It had taken so long to get here, and yet there was nowhere else they were meant to go.

With Penny's promises of love still in her ears, Weiss closed her eyes as the last of the tears dried. She relaxed, though maintained her embrace on Penny to keep her comfortable.

The heiress let out a long, blissful sigh, and at last her conscious started to fade. Her heartbeat slowed along with her breathing, and she couldn't wait to wake the next morning to find Penny still beside her, proving to her that this wasn't all just a dream…

. . .

 **Penny listened** for a while until Weiss' breathing evened and her heart slowed to its normal soft rate. She held Weiss close as the girl slipped off into sleep before slowly letting herself rest as well.

She didn't quite "sleep", but rested, still alert to the world around her. She would keep Weiss safe, and warm while she slept, hoping her dreams would be pleasant, while waiting for her to wake up the next morning and smile at her.

* * *

 **A/N: Part 1 is the longest by far simply because it needed to establish their relationship. The following parts will be a bit shorter but more plot-based. If you can call a roleplay for fun plot-heavy.**

 **Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Didn't expect this one to get a lot of attention, but I'm glad there are a few people who are giving it a shot!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Part 2.

When the world came back to her, the first thing Weiss registered was the warmth that enveloped her. She opened her eyes, and the memories of last night came flooding back - the words they'd said, the confessions, the kisses, the promises…

The light weight atop her stomach proved it had all been real. When she looked down, Penny's ginger hair was glowing faintly in the morning sunlight that slipped past the curtains. A small sound made its way up the heiress' throat and out past her lips.

"Mm… good morning, Penny."

Weiss didn't want to get up just yet, so she stayed just as she was, breathing slowly. Her arms curled around the slim girl beneath the blankets, and her hands rubbed up and down her back.

Like this, Weiss could clearly feel her own aura pooling in the core of her stomach, and Penny's resonated with it. It was proof Penny was alive and had a soul, and that her soul was bound for Weiss' alone.

. . .

 **Weiss' soft 'good morning'** brought her back to the world and the warmth that enveloped her.

"Mmmm it is a… sensational morning." Penny giggled lightly as she snuggled into the girl next to her. When Weiss made no move to get up, Penny simply snuggled closer, content to just while away the morning like this. Weiss' hands rubbed slow circles on her back and she hummed contently. "We'll still have to get up soon though. Can't have you missing breakfast!"

. . .

Weiss enjoyed the stillness for as long as possible before Penny's words made her remember she had duties to attend to.

"Right, right…"

It was almost painful to tear herself away from Penny, the devastating distance between them and loss of her body heat causing Weiss to shiver involuntarily. She pushed herself up, hair frazzled as she rubbed her eyes.

"What's on the agenda for today…?" she muttered to herself. "I've got a new lecturer at noon… Father said he's a prestigious professor. I should make sure I'm awake so I can be attentive…"

She shivered again and pulled Penny into a quick hug to fend it off. "It's going to be torment waiting for tonight to come," she murmured. "If I could, I'd just stay in bed with you like this all day."

. . .

 **Penny immediately felt** emptier as Weiss pulled away, her warmth and heartbeat going with her, but she took solace knowing they would be together again.

Tonight - just make it through the day and they could be together again.

She reciprocated the hug, trying to give Weiss all the warmth she could muster before pulling away again. She smiled softly, placing a chaste kiss on Weiss' cheek.

"I'd stay with you forever, but we have duties to attend. Just remember I'll be right beside you all day; I'm not going anywhere!" She smiled again, getting up. "I have to get dressed, but I'll be back before you know it!"

. . .

Weiss nodded and watched her go, Penny's small stature receding toward the doorway before disappearing out into the hallway.

The heiress took this time to freshen herself up and change. Since she had no combat lessons today, only lectures, she slipped into a casual blue dress and shoes, pulling a small white jacket over her shoulders and tying her hair into a ponytail.

She made her bed, leaving less of a mess for Penny to clean up later. As she was doing so, she found Penny's pink ribbon that Weiss herself had untied last night. She pressed a soft kiss to the material before heading to the hallway to meet the girl once more.

. . .

 **Penny dressed quickly** , cleaning herself up. Partway through she realized she had forgotten her bow.

 _Hmmm, I wonder if Weiss found it?_ Penny giggled to herself, wondering what it would look like on Weiss as she grabbed one of her numerous replacements. She walked back out into the hallway, meeting Weiss there, and after a quick glance around, gave her a light kiss on the cheek.

"Ready to start the day?"

. . .

Penny soon met up with her, and when Weiss saw she'd already replaced the missing ribbon with a new one, the heiress took the liberty of tying the one she held into her own hair, just above her ponytail.

"Quite ready," she replied.

They headed to breakfast, and she spoke to her father, sister, and brother as usual as she ate the food Penny had dutifully tested. It felt so normal, and yet it was totally different; she and Penny were _so_ much closer now than they had been at yesterday's breakfast.

Weiss' father spoke to her a bit about her new tutor, mentioning he was from a foreign kingdom. He sounded strange, but interesting, and Weiss was eager for the lesson.

But after the meal, there was still time before noon, and Weiss turned to her companion as she and Penny got up.

"What say you to a walk through the gardens first?"

They could be alone there.

. . .

 **Penny smiled as Weiss** tied the ribbon into her own hair, nodding as it softened her sometimes-hard appearance.

Breakfast went as usual, but Weiss' very presence next to her seemed to be so much… _more_ than it usually was; she felt warmer just by being next to her.

Weiss' new tutor sounded interesting; perhaps she would learn something herself as she accompanied Weiss there. She usually occupied herself with her own thoughts or other small busy work, while remaining close at hand of course.

The garden. Perfect.

"Of course, that sounds lovely!" Penny smiled, the knowing smirk alight in her teal eyes as she walked alongside Weiss into the gardens, gently moving her hand into Weiss' as they got a little ways in.

. . .

The Schnee mansion was enclosed by large fences, so any hopes of infiltration via the gardens were impossible to become reality. The path underfoot was of smooth pebbles, and the bushes that wound around them in mazes of green all sported brilliant flowers. The kinds of blossoms were numerous, and Weiss was well-versed with naming all of them.

She brought Penny to many of the bushes, leaning down to breathe in the petals' scents, keeping hold of the girl's hand all the while. Next to being in her room with Penny, this was Weiss' favorite place in all the world.

And she wanted to make that clear.

She brought Penny to a bench at the heart of the garden and sat beside her, letting the girl lean against her side.

"It's so lovely…" Weiss murmured. The air was still and sweet, the sunlight bright and warm, the only sound was of birdsong.

It was moments like these that made Weiss feel truly alive, and she snuggled Penny closer to her.

. . .

 **Penny walked alongside** Weiss through the gardens. The air was pleasant and the weather was calm.

The garden was always beautiful, but she personally loved it during the winter most, the snow covering everything in its soft white blanket and the fountains frozen in time.

But really anywhere _Weiss_ was, she wanted to be. That was enough for her.

And so she followed Weiss as they slowly toured the gardens, stopping to point out a particular bloom every now and then.

Eventually, they came to a bench at the heart of it all where they sat together, Penny leaning into Weiss and nuzzling into her side, close enough to hear her heartbeat.

. . .

Weiss enjoyed the quiet. Of course, she loved talking to Penny, but she loved the silence with her too. Closing her eyes, she focused more on feeling the girl's warmth, listening to the world around her.

She slipped her arm around Penny's back and waist, making it easier for her to rest her head against Weiss' collar. She could feel her own heart was a little fast, but it was out of joy more so than anything else.

They stayed that way for a while, but when she next reopened her eyes, she could tell by the position of the sun that it was nearly noon. Reluctantly, she nudged Penny and mumbled softly, "We need to get going."

. . .

 **Penny slowly sat up,** blinking away her drowsiness as Weiss' heartbeat faded from her hearing.

"Of course, your lessons," Penny said standing and offering her hand. "It was certainly nice while it lasted!"

They walked off back through the gardens towards the house together, Penny keeping her hand in Weiss' as long as she could, holding onto the warmth and love that she could feel through it.

. . .

She was reluctant to get up, but she knew there would be more time later this evening to spend with Penny. So for now, she walked beside her back toward the mansion.

They headed down the hallways to the usual room where lessons for Weiss were held.

It was a spacious room on the first floor, resembling a classroom with a long table and chairs. At one end of the room was a large chalkboard, and a projector that was hooked up to all the most modern technology could be pulled down from the ceiling.

Weiss entered to find her new professor already present, just setting down his briefcase onto the desk. He was a large man dressed in a grey suit and dark blue tie, strong build and dark hair. He looked more like a wrestler than a professor, but Weiss kept her thoughts to herself.

"Good afternoon, Professor," she said, dipping her head in greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Weiss Schnee."

The man looked up at her as her name was spoken. He went over to her and smiled kindly.

"Miss Schnee, it is an honor to be your professor today." He then looked down at the girl behind her. "And… who is this?"

Weiss took the liberty to introduce her. "This is Penny. She's my personal aide."

"…I see," he said. "And will Miss Penny be present during the lecture?"

"Yes, she will. Father's orders, I'm sure you understand," Weiss said politely. "I hope that won't be an issue?" There was a small challenge in her tone.

But the man merely shrugged.

"Not at all. Please, take your seat."

. . .

 **Penny examined** the new professor closely, something she did with anyone who was to be in close contact with Weiss. He looked strong, well-built, a little odd for a professor but she wouldn't judge, although perhaps that was in some small part to the knowledge that her own mechanical muscles were _much_ stronger.

As Weiss introduced her, she stood straight, arms crossed behind her back and not breaking eye contact with the man. She let off her gaze as the man turned away.

Weiss sat down and Penny took a seat next to her, making herself comfortable as he prepared to begin his lecture.

. . .

Weiss took out her scroll and began typing notes as the lecture started.

The new professor was very knowledgable, he spoke slowly and calmly, and knew his material precisely. He glanced around the room quite often, as though he were looking for something, but never stopped speaking, pacing all the while.

Weiss typed away at her laptop diligently, looking up to show respect for him and then glancing back down to write. He taught of Remnant's history and geography, bringing down the projection screen to point out specific locations.

After about half an hour, he beckoned Weiss forward, asking her to point out a certain place on the map. He went to his briefcase as Weiss stood and walked to the front of the room. The professor looked up from where he rummaged through his case.

"Miss Penny may come up as well," he invited.

Weiss turned back and waved her up eagerly before going to the map.

. . .

 **Penny listened to the** lecture but didn't take notes or such. The man's teaching was at least interesting to her, largely consisting of information she already knew to at least some degree.

Penny noted the man's slight… nervousness, his constant glancing about and pacing, not entirely without reason, teaching to an audience of two - one being _Weiss "Dust Company heiress" Schnee -_ so his nervousness could be forgiven, but then again it was basically her job to be suspicious.

Upon being called up, Penny quickly joined Weiss at the board. She was fairly certain she knew where the area he was asking about was located, but waited for Weiss to make her decision as she stood next to her, hands clasped behind her back as she observed the large map.

. . .

As Weiss searched the map, she was unaware of what was going on behind her. The professor had walked up behind the two girls just as Weiss pointed out the correct area.

"It's here, right?"

He smirked.

"Very good."

The cloths doused in drugs were in both palms as he quickly grabbed both girls around their faces. Weiss yelped, but it was muffled by the force of his hand. She tried to hit and kick, but his grip around her shoulders was strong, almost crushing.

Within seconds, the drug took affect on her, toxins rushing in, and her eyes rolled back, her body going instantly limp as the breath flew from her lungs.

The man grabbed Penny before giving a shake.

"What the hell is this?" he growled. "This is the good stuff! How are you still conscious?" He thrust her back against the wall before taking a step back. Weiss was under his arm as he backed up toward the window.

. . .

 **The cloth wrapped** around her face and Penny immediately identified a heavy sedative that filled her nose, but was completely ineffective against her mechanical construction.

"You've made a _terrible_ mistake, Professor," she growled.

He shoved her against the wall and turned, but Penny was faster. Blades hovering out and around her, she shot two of them forward into the wall, her puppeteer strings pulling her across the room in seconds. She flipped into a crouch just inches in front of him, and the man's eyes widened in shock as she appeared out of thin air.

Crouched low, she uncoiled her body, starting from her legs, pushing hard up from the floor, transferring up into her torso, twisting into her _rapidly_ extending fist, every mechanical muscle in her body uncoiling to deliver an uppercut to the man's jaw.

Her fist smashed into his chin, lifting him off the floor with the force of it. As he went, Penny twisted, wrapping her arms around Weiss as his grip on her faltered from the hit.

Pulling the unconscious girl from him and laying her gently on the floor, she turned her back to the would-be abductor, confident her blow had at the very least knocked him out.

. . .

He'd been given a lot of kidnapping missions before, been paid good money for them, too. And he'd dealt with his fair share of protective siblings, spouses, and bodyguards.

But never before had he ever faced one like _this_.

He was battered around like a rag doll by a tiny android of a girl, and the force of her punch left him sporting a broken jaw. He was furious, and when he realized he'd lost his target, became even more so. He grabbed a lamp and stalked up behind the android girl, smashing it over the back of her head before she could react.

. . .

At the sound of the crash and litter of glass around her, Weiss jolted awake forcefully and let out a horrified scream.

. . .

Penny felt the heavy lamp smash into the back of her head, the blow and ensuing ringing causing her to lean forward heavily, almost falling on Weiss.

"Ugh…" Her eyes struggled to re-focus as her ears rang - that was a _hard_ hit. "Weiss…" She grunted, head swimming. She stumbled to her feet, facing the man as she rocked unsteadily on her feet.

 _Not going to be able to fight after that hit, just have to buy Weiss enough time._

. . .

Weiss still couldn't move. Due to the effects of the drug, her body felt limp, and the only part that had any feeling at all was her chest due to the crazed pounding of her heart. She knew Penny was trying to let her escape, but the heiress could do nothing to help either of them.

"P-Penny…" Her voice was a wisp of air, thin and dizzy as she felt the world spinning around her once more.

But just then, before any more fighting could happen - before Penny could get hurt even more - the doors to the room flew open. Countless guards poured in with Winter at the head, and Weiss' father close behind.

They surrounded the so-called professor, and it was easy for them to apprehend him after the blow he'd sustained from Penny.

Winter rushed over to kneel down beside her sister, asking where it hurt and if she was all right. But there was only one word on Weiss' mind as it slipped from her again:

"Penny…"

. . .

 **The guards rushed in** and quickly subdued the 'professor'.

With the situation over and Weiss safe, Penny sunk to one knee next to the heiress, head spinning. She could barely make out Winter's voice.

She just barely heard Weiss whisper her name, and a smile quirked at Penny's lips as she fell sideways, unconscious before she hit the ground. Guards and staff rushed over to them, but no one noticed Penny mumble out:

" _Weiss…"_

* * *

 **A/N: Wouldn't be a Hana roleplay without crazy drama, right?**

 **I've tried to revise a bit of things, mainly Penny's speech to make her sound more believable. I hate to say I almost forget what she sounded like :'c**

 **Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope the few reading are enjoying!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Part 3.

When Weiss next reopened her eyes, she found herself in the living room. The main couch had been pulled out into the form of a bed, and she'd been laid upon it.

Winter sat in a chair beside her and murmured softly to her as she woke, informing Weiss of what had happened. After the attempted kidnapper had been apprehended, he'd been forcibly removed from the premises and taken to the police.

Meanwhile, her father had called for James Ironwood himself to take care of Penny, while Weiss had been tended to by a specialist. After half an hour of hard work, she had extracted the drugs from Weiss' system.

"You'll still be weak for a few days," Winter told her. "So you'll need to take it easy. Can I get you some water?"

Weiss nodded and watched as her sister left her.

She then turned to her other side, gasping softly when she found Penny beside her. There were evident signs that repair had been done on her wound, and bandages wrapped around her forehead. Weiss felt tears in her eyes as she looked at her, and she reached up a trembling hand to brush against the sleeping girl's face.

"Penny…"

. . .

 **Penny's face twitched** as she rolled her head to the side into Weiss' touch, eyes closed as she mumbled in her sleep.

"Weiss…" She muttered a few incoherent words before rubbing her face into Weiss' palm and falling quiet again, a peaceful look on her face.

. . .

Despite the fact that Penny seemed relaxed, Weiss' throat constricted. A small, choked sound passed through her lips as she tried to move herself closer to the girl, but other than her arm, her body wouldn't move. She felt like her bones were weighed down, and simply turning her head made her dizzy.

"Penny… are you okay? Please talk to me…" She was scared for her, and the tears started rolling down her cheeks. Guilt washed over her, and her breath hitched. "I'm s-sorry… you got hurt because of me…"

. . .

 **This time, Penny's eyes** slowly fluttered open. Groggily looking around, she spotted Weiss.

"Weiss?" She jolted up, but quickly fell back, head spinning. "Ugh… no I… I am all right, Weiss." She forced a smile, trying to soothe the distraught girl. "Don't say that. It is not your fault. I should have hit him harder." She reached her hand out to Weiss, trying not show the pain from the dull throbbing in the back of her head.

. . .

Weiss whimpered when Penny shot up, only to collapse again. The tears fell faster at the sight of her pain. The heiress' voice was thick and clipped as she blinked the warm wetness away.

"Don't… don't you dare lie to me-" she mumbled, trying to sound angry, but the concern behind it was all too clear. "You're not all right, Penny. Don't lie to me…"

She reached out and found Penny's hand, drawing her closer slowly. Weiss slid her fingers up to the girl's ginger hair, resting them against her temple. She unlocked her aura and let it flow, channeling it onto Penny; after all, she was the first synthetic being capable of harboring an aura of her own.

Weiss followed the path of her agony, pooling her aura at the area where the tension was greatest. And a few minutes later, she sniffled and pulled her hand away, letting it find Penny's again as Weiss panted for breath.

"I'll- I'll take responsibility, okay? I'll take care of you until you're better. _Please."_

She needed to, or else the guilt would eat her alive.

. . .

 **Penny wanted to stop** Weiss from using her aura; she wanted her to focus on healing herself, but she wasn't in any condition to stop the girl.

The influx of Weiss' healing aura did help, alleviating the pain from jolting herself up, but the wound would take quite a while longer to really heal fully.

Penny looked into those crystal blue eyes brimming with tears as Weiss spoke. It wasn't Weiss' fault - Penny wouldn't _let_ it be her fault. She could also see the anguish behind those eyes; regardless of what Penny thought, Weiss blamed herself. She squeezed Weiss' hand.

"It's not your fault." She spoke clearly, not breaking eye contact. "But you can take care of me until I heal, okay?" She smiled. "Besides, you know I'm a terrible liar."

. . .

Weiss sniffled and tried a small smile of her own.

Winter returned soon afterward, helping her sit up to drink her water. By that time, it was evening, and they skipped supper so they could get some rest. Winter helped her sister get dressed, and then Penny. She guided them back up to Weiss' room where the heiress politely dismissed her.

"Thank you. I'll have Penny stay with me tonight. We'll be all right if the other is with us to help, should we need any."

Her sister nodded. "Very well. But call for someone if anything happens at any point." She wrapped Weiss in a brief hug before vanishing down the hallway.

Weiss then took Penny's hand and led her into the bedroom, one step at a time. It took much longer than it normally would have, but they were content to take their time rather than risk greater injury.

It was a bit of a shaky process, but they made it to the bed before long. Weiss laid her companion down first before slipping beneath the covers beside her.

"Rest now," she murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Would you like to… listen?" she offered, opening her arms.

. . .

 **Penny felt slow** and sluggish as she hobbled around, constantly leaning on _something_ for support. They finally made it up to Weiss' room, and Penny held onto a desk, concentrating on not falling over while Weiss talked to her sister.

With Weiss' help, Penny made it into bed; the heiress following shortly after instantly made Penny feel better. When she opened her arms, Penny accepted eagerly, _carefully_ snuggling close to the heiress and laying her head over Weiss' heart, allowing the familiar, soothing beat wash over her.

"This is all the medicine I need…" she mumbled, already beginning to slip into sleep, exhausted and injured as she was.

. . .

Weiss pet through her hair for a while, still a bit too agitated from the events of the day to fall asleep. It was clear how enervated Penny was considering how quickly she lost consciousness, even before the heiress herself did.

Weiss simply held her like that until she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer.

* * *

When she woke the next morning, the sunlight was soft as always as it slipped through the windows, illuminating Penny's hair to hold a warm hue, like a fireplace on a cold autumn evening.

Weiss found the girl was still asleep, and she ran her fingers carefully over Penny's cheeks, down her neck and over her injury. She let out a bit more of her aura, hoping that using it in intervals could help heal the wound sooner.

She was comfortably warm and wouldn't have minded staying in bed like this all day. But she wanted to take care of Penny and get her better as soon as possible.

And yet… she could let Penny sleep as long as she needed it.

. . .

 **Penny slowly became** aware of her surroundings, eyes gently slipping open to see the soft morning light warming her face as Weiss ran her hand through her hair, the soothing pulse of her aura matched by the steady rhythm of her heart. She was still tired, feeling unusually groggy, and closing her eyes she felt completely content to just lay there for a while longer.

Just being here with Weiss like this for these few moments was worth taking a lamp to the back of the head.

. . .

Weiss felt Penny stir, but continued letting her rest a while longer; however long she needed, Weiss would let her relax. Penny was always doing so much for her, and the heiress took her for granted, sometimes not thinking to thank her or show her appreciation for her presence.

And yesterday, she could've lost her altogether.

The thought terrified Weiss, and a fresh wave of tears rose up behind her eyes. She bit her lip, trying to stifle the sobs as streams of warm wetness slipped down the sides of her face, and her arms subconsciously hugged Penny tighter by the waist.

"Sorry, Penny…" she sniffled between breaths. "I'm sorry…"

. . .

 **Penny heard Weiss** start to cry and felt the girl's arms tighten around her. Opening her eyes and looking up, she saw the tears, heard her mumble out her apology.

Penny pulled herself up and pressed her lips to Weiss', cutting of her sobs with a kiss. When they finally broke apart she tried to reassure the girl.

"That's not necessary, Weiss! You aren't allowed to blame yourself for this. I won't let you." She hugged the girl closer. "Just remember that however you feel, I feel the same way about you. He never should have even gotten that close to you, and that _is_ my fault."

. . .

Weiss did her best to quiet herself; she didn't want Penny feeling more guilt because of her. But Weiss couldn't stop her own guilt from washing over her.

"No… it's not your fault either. You couldn't have known. But I was so helpless, and so he… he hurt you…"

She tried to focus on the here and now, the fact that Penny was holding her warmly, lovingly. Weiss caressed the back of her head, running her fingers over the bandages with almost non-existent touch.

"I'm sorry. I'll… try not to think about it anymore. It's behind us. Let's just… let's just focus on getting better." She tried a smile and pressed her lips to Penny's cheek.

For the next week or so, Weiss would have no tutoring lessons, as her father was dealing with the criminal from last time and searching for someone else credible. But it would be a while before he would trust someone else to teach his daughter. So Weiss would be free for a time now, no lectures and only minimal combat training.

"Let's go eat… then I'll take you to the garden again, okay? Some fresh air could do you good."

. . .

 **Penny hmphed;** she should have seen the attack before it came, but if she wanted Weiss to stop blaming herself, she should probably do the same.

"It takes more than that to bring me down! As long as I'm around, you should never need to fight." Penny held her a little closer as Weiss gently caressed her, holding on and reassuring the heiress that she was there, and this wasn't a dream.

Content with that response, Penny squeezed the heiress. "Yes, getting better. As long as you're with me I'll be back to normal in no time." Penny nodded, disentangling herself from Weiss so she could get up. "Some food and a walk through the gardens sounds _perfect_ ," she smiled.

. . .

Weiss slowly sat herself up, wiping away the last of her tears and offering Penny a smile instead. She leaned forward to press one last kiss to the girl's cheek before she slipped her legs off the bed.

She went to her drawer and then retreated to her bathroom to change and freshen up, then came out to help Penny change into a new set of clothes, being wary of her injury.

They made their way slowly to breakfast and ate quietly. Her father and sister asked how they were fairing in terms of physical and emotional damage, but tried not to recount the events of yesterday for too long.

When they'd finished, Weiss had Penny hold onto her arm as they made for the back exit of the mansion that lead to the gardens. She kept her eyes trained on the ginger-haired girl, and every time she so much as winced, Weiss paused them to emit some of her aura onto the girl before pressing a kiss to her head.

Presently, she stopped them just before the door to do just that.

"Does it still hurt? If so, how badly?"

. . .

 **Having Weiss help** her so much was strange; she was so used to being the one to help her that the sudden reversal of roles felt unnatural.

On the other hand, she _needed_ the help - her injury throbbed painfully at even the slightest jarring, balancing was also difficult and she had to hold onto something, usually Weiss, constantly.

After breakfast, the long walk out to the garden seemed even longer due to her injury and the slow pace she was forced to take, but at least Weiss was there with her.

"It's not too bad. It's still sore, but I'll manage." She smiled, although it came out a little pained.

. . .

Weiss said nothing, but was thankful Penny wasn't lying to her at the very least. She continued sharing her aura for another minute or so before releasing a heavy sigh.

"All right then. Let's go find someplace to sit."

She led Penny outside and into the gardens again. The day was warm and calm, the usual quiet hanging about them, save for the birds. But they weren't here to parade around looking at all of the flowers this time. Weiss brought them directly to one of the benches and had Penny sit down.

"Or better yet…"

An idea popped into her mind, and Weiss sat down on the bench and leaned back. She helped Penny lie down on her back across it so that her head rested in the heiress' lap. Weiss smiled fondly down at her before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her nose.

"Now try to rest. Rest is best for replenishing your aura, and I'll give you some as well," she promised, fingertips already shining blue as she began to emit it.

. . .

 **Penny shuffled along** next to Weiss. The day was beautiful but she couldn't pay too much attention to it, focused as she was on not collapsing on top of Weiss.

Before too long, they made it to the bench and Weiss gently pulled her down and rested Penny's head in her lap.

"Hmmm this is nice," Penny mumbled. "Just be careful with your own aura use. You've been giving me a lot and I don't want you getting sick, too."

. . .

"Don't worry. I'll be fine," Weiss said. She caressed Penny's hair with cajoling motions, twirling her fingers through soft, ginger curls.

The atmosphere was perfect, and the heiress began to sing. Not just the usual, timid hums when she was trying not to wake others up in the later hours of the evening, but her true, full singing voice. The breeze carried her words effortlessly, and her voice trembled expertly up and down every note of the octaves.

After a few moments, she fell silent again, leaning down to pepper Penny's face with light kisses. She giggled almost impishly, pressing her lips over the girl's cheeks, the bridge of her nose, then down to her lips.

. . .

 **Weiss' voice was beautiful;** it reached deep down inside of Penny, pulled at the strings of her being, and reminded her that she had a _soul._

Penny didn't get to hear Weiss really _truly_ sing very often, because you couldn't ask her to do it - only she could decide when she would really sing with all her soul.

It made Penny immensely happy that _she_ was a reason for Weiss to do so.

As her voice gently faded away, the heiress leaned over to place gentle kisses across her face, eventually leading to her lips. She eagerly accepted Weiss' invitation and kissed her back.

. . .

Weiss breathed a sweet breath into Penny's lungs before pulling away, leaning back against the support of the bench again. She brushed the backs of her fingers through the girl's bangs, still emitting a faint flow of her aura.

She liked to believe the garden was a place of healing, as it was entirely natural, resting in the colder months and coming back to life on its own accord to blossom when the sun's warmth returned. She hoped the magics about this place, her aura, and her love could help Penny, even if it was just a bit.

They stayed there for a time, Weiss continuing her ministrations all the while as Penny napped. The heiress pressed kisses to her lips on occasion to take her mind off the pain in her head that was hopefully lessening.

After a while, when the sun had started to shift overhead, Weiss bent down and hugged Penny's shoulders loosely.

"How are you feeling? I hate to say it… but we should probably go back inside soon."

. . .

 **Gently napping** in the garden with Weiss was perfect, the calm weather and beauty of the garden along with Weiss' gentle ministrations kept her mind off the dull pain in the back of her head. Penny could tell the day was starting to fade and so she agreed, gently lifting herself off of Weiss so she could get up.

"I feel much better thanks to you." She smiled fondly. "Yes, I'm ready to go back!"

. . .

"All right then." Weiss got to her feet and helped Penny stand, satisfied that she was a bit less wobbly now. Weiss kept hold of one of her hands and led her back to the mansion.

It was about time for supper, but rather than wait for the meal to be prepared for her, she had Penny take a seat at the table and gave an offer.

"I'm going to help prepare your supper tonight," she declared. "I've been shirking my cooking lately, and I'll be certain to make something that will heal you right up."

With a kiss to Penny's nose, Weiss headed off to the kitchen.

. . .

 **Penny sat and watched** after Weiss as she left for the kitchens; she wondered what Weiss had planned. Looking around at the empty room, she also wondered how she was going to preoccupy herself while Weiss was cooking. Frowning, she turned and lay down, deciding to rest while Weiss was gone.

. . .

Weiss had been given cooking lessons before, and with help from a few of the chefs, it didn't take her too long to figure out what she wanted to prepare for Penny.

It was a simple stew, but the ingredients were all fresh vegetables picked from their own garden, a place that was special to the heiress and her bodyguard.

She hummed all the while as she cooked, making sure the proportions of everything were just perfect. She taste-tested a bit before deeming it was ready, and after putting a bowl for herself onto a tray beside Penny's, she hobbled to the doorway where one of the chefs held the door for her.

She reentered to room to find Penny dozing, and set the tray down lightly onto the table.

"It's ready~" she sang. "I hope it's to your liking."

. . .

 **It wasn't long** before Penny started to notice the smells drifting out from the kitchen. Not long after that, she realized just how hungry she was - smelling good food always seemed to exaggerate one's hunger. She just tried to rest and not think about the clawing in her stomach.

When Weiss finally re-entered carrying two bowls of steaming stew, Penny lifted herself up as Weiss placed the bowl in front of her.

"It smells _delicious!_ Thank you, Weiss!"

. . .

The words of gratitude from Penny were all the reward Weiss needed for her efforts in preparing supper. She ate her own food happily, glancing sideways to check on Penny every few minutes or so.

But the heiress found she wasn't hungry enough to finish all of her soup, so she left about half of it to be put away for later before she turned to face Penny.

"Here…" She gently took the girl's spoon from her and held it for her instead, blowing on every spoonful before holding it up to Penny's lips. Her free hand went to Penny's lap and curled around her hands, rubbing lightly.

. . .

 **It felt a little strange** being fed by Weiss, but Penny knew it was because the heiress cared for her so much. So Penny let Weiss feed her, gently squeezing her hand where it rested in her lap and smiling fondly at the heiress between bites.

"You should cook more often, you know." Penny smiled, taking another bite.

. . .

"You flatter me," Weiss chuckled.

She continued to feed Penny until her bowl was drained. Weiss then stood to put the leftovers away. She was glad Penny had eaten everything and hoped she would be better before very much longer.

She returned to Penny and took her hand once more, and they ventured back up to Weiss' room. Like the night before, Weiss carefully helped Penny get changed into her sleepwear before she went off to slip into her own, freshening up in the bathroom and letting down her hair before reemerging.

"Here. Sit." Weiss motioned toward the bed, and when Penny was seated, the heiress stepped in front of her. She caressed the girl's head gently, closing her eyes as she once again started to emit her aura. She pulled Penny close, both by means of comfort and because she wanted to.

She was so focused on trying to quell the last of Penny's pain that she didn't realize a few minutes later when her hands started to shake, her breath coming faster.

. . .

 **Penny followed Weiss** as they went back to Weiss' room for the night, changing before gently sliding into bed, cuddling her close.

Settling in and relaxing into Weiss' comforting grip, she quickly began dozing off.

But after a while, Weiss' heartbeat picked up slightly, and Penny realized Weiss had been using her aura this whole time.

"Weiss, that's too much," she scolded gently. "You're going to exhaust yourself."

. . .

Somewhere along the lines she'd lain down and joined Penny on the bed, pulling her close into their usual positions, letting the girl rest her head on Weiss' chest. The heiress continued to emit her aura even as Penny drifted off into a light slumber. It was a peaceful sleep, and she didn't seem to be in pain any longer, and Weiss was glad for that.

She hadn't even realized the time until she heard Penny's words, and the heiress blinked her eyes open and ceased the flow of her aura.

"It's… fine," she murmured a bit breathlessly. She pulled back slightly and smiled, looking kindly down into Penny's teal eyes. "How… are you feeling?"

. . .

 **Penny gave the heiress** a worried look, but let it drop.

"I feel… pretty good actually. I think I'll be mostly back to normal by tomorrow," she replied with a still-sleepy smile. "Thanks to you, of course!" Penny grinned, pressing a light kiss to Weiss' cheek before snuggling against her again.

She did feel much better - one of the benefits of being an android was that she healed quickly. She knew that she would be pretty much back to normal by tomorrow, but she was now worried about Weiss for exhausting herself; the heiress stubbornly tried to hide the exertion, but Penny had known her long enough to see it. She just wanted Weiss to get some rest now.

"All right, let's get some sleep or we'll _both_ be bedridden." She smiled, holding Weiss close.

. . .

"You worry too much…" Weiss ruffled her hair affectionately, glad to hear that Penny was already feeling so much better. It made Weiss feel like she'd been useful to her, and she loved that feeling.

She kissed Penny's forehead, letting the coolness of her lips linger before the heiress laid her head back and closed her eyes, permitting sleep to take her.

* * *

 **A/N: Oh look... another chapter where nothing happens but fluff... imagine that from me...**

 **Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Is anyone still reading this odd little story? If you are, then thank you! I remember planning these little scenarios with my roleplay partner years ago and it's nice to relive them in editing!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Part. 4

When she woke up, Weiss was warm. She decided it was because Penny was resting on top of her as usual, draped over her and using her chest as a pillow. Weiss hugged the sleeping girl gently, smiling and sighing with relief.

But it was strange - Weiss was finding it difficult to breathe, and her heart felt like it was straining. She closed her eyes and tried to calm things down, trying not to think about it all. It was different from the time she'd confessed her feelings to Penny, and Weiss didn't like it now.

. . .

 **Penny woke up slowly** , gently pushing herself up and stretching, finding that she was no longer plagued by pain as she had been the day before.

She quickly noticed, however, that Weiss was not feeling so well. Frowning slightly, she put her head on the girl's chest and listened to her heart, finding it weak and fluttery. Next, she placed her hand on Weiss' forehead. It was warm which was _especially_ unusual for Weiss.

"I told you not to overexert yourself," Penny chided, sliding off the bed.

. . .

Weiss huffed slightly, embarrassed as Penny listened to her heart. She'd honestly believed she wouldn't fall ill, but evidently she'd used too much of her aura at once yesterday. Penny was scolding her gently, but she seemed to be better, and that was the greatest relief to Weiss.

The heiress furrowed her eyebrows before she pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"I'm all right," she mumbled, shaking her head, bangs sticking to her forehead because of the sweat. "Just… help me up?" She reached for Penny's hands, but when Weiss tried to stand, a dizzy spell slammed down on her and she collapsed back into bed with a withering moan. She felt unnaturally weak, and her nervous eyes found Penny's.

. . .

 **Weiss fell back onto** the bed with a groan, and Penny frowned worriedly. Weiss' scared look struck her; this was something Penny couldn't truly protect Weiss from, but she would do what she could.

"You just stay here," she said, helping Weiss back onto the bed and laying her down. "I'll get a cool washcloth for your head and go fetch the doctor."

She quickly went to the bathroom, wet a washcloth, and returned to Weiss to drape it over her warm forehead.

"Just relax. I'll be right back!"

. . .

Weiss willingly laid down onto her back with Penny's help, and she closed her eyes, trying her best to relax as the girl told her to. When her aide returned, she placed a washcloth over the heiress' forehead, and the brief coolness and wetness quelled Weiss' fever for a moment.

But the second the word "doctor" and its implications sunk in, Weiss' eyes flew open, heart leaping into her throat as she sat herself up instantly and cried out.

"W-Wait, P-Penny no, please d-don't… " She reached for Penny helplessly.

The time she had been kidnapped so many years ago, a man who had said he was a doctor had held a needle above her and told her he was going to make her sleep. Thankfully, the authorities had apprehended the kidnappers before any harm could come to Weiss, but she'd had nightmares about that more times than she cared to recount.

But that was before Penny had come into the picture, and she'd never been around for the topic to come up until now. So Weiss needed to tell her herself. She felt hot tears behind her eyes as she looked up at Penny and begged her.

" _Please_ don't call a doctor. I _can't_ … not again…" Weiss shook her head. "When they kidnapped me there was a doctor there… so please don't call anyone…"

. . .

 **Penny jumped back** to Weiss' side as she explained to her what had happened.

"Weiss! I-It's all right. You don't have to say another word!" Penny gently held Weiss close and rubbed circles on the girl's back. She berated herself for not having known about this until now; this was the kind of thing she was _supposed_ to know. She held Weiss close and a new resolve filled her - it was _her_ job to protect Weiss; she didn't need any help.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. I won't call anyone - promise. _I'll_ take care of you."

. . .

Weiss felt so weak as she clung to Penny, sobbing softly into her shoulder, her body jolting with hiccups. Penny's promise not to call anyone else calmed the heiress just a bit, and she tried to stop crying, though she was delirious from her fever and the words kept tumbling out:

"I'm sorry. I should've told you much sooner… I'm sorry for worrying you…" She whimpered apologies for a few minutes until her vice-grip slackened, and Weiss' hands fell back into her lap.

She sniffed again until she could open her eyes once more. "Sorry... for being so much trouble all the time…" It may have been the fever talking, but they were things Weiss had always thought, though she only now put them into words.

. . .

 **Penny held her close** until she finally calmed down, mumbling apologies as Penny wiped her tears away, murmuring reassuringly. Penny heard the words that left Weiss' lips, but she refused to believe them.

"Nonsense!" she said very firmly but not harshly. "You're never trouble to me, Weiss! You are the _only_ reason I'm even alive! You will _never_ be trouble to me!" She smiled warmly.

. . .

Those words were what finally quieted the heiress - the thought that _she_ was the reason Penny existed; if one of them hadn't existed, then the other wouldn't either. They were both alive now solely because of the other, and that made them inseparable soulmates.

Weiss nodded, believing what the girl said. She sighed and finally pulled away from her.

"Thank you, Penny…" Weiss sat there in her arms for a moment until she'd regained her composure. "I'm… I'm okay now," she murmured. "I'll stay here and wait for you."

. . .

 **Penny gently rubbed** the girl's back as Weiss finally relaxed.

"Good! I'll just get the nurse. I think you've just over-exerted yourself," Penny replied, standing. "Are you hungry or thirsty? Can I get you something on the way back?" She doted over Weiss as she lay the heiress back, pulling the covers up and re-adjusting the cloth on her forehead.

. . .

The mention of a nurse had her tensing up a bit, but she said nothing; Weiss trusted Penny entirely, and knew for a fact she would never let anyone bring harm to her - the events of the previous days were proof enough.

Weiss let herself be laid back, unable to resist even if she might want to. Penny's tone and smile eased her worries a bit and helped calm her down.

"Perhaps… some water?" she rasped. "My throat's been dry all morning, and my chest feels stifled."

. . .

 **Penny nodded, smiling.**

"Of course! And I've got my scroll if you need anything else. I'll be right back!" With that, she left, walking briskly down the hallways towards the nurse's room; Schnee had a nurse and doctor stationed in a separate section of the mansion.

She had noticed Weiss' reaction to her mention of it even if she'd tried to hide it. Perhaps she would just talk to the nurse rather than bring her to Weiss.

It wasn't long before she was walking back to Weiss' room carrying a large glass of water and a small packet of medicine the nurse had given her after Penny had described Weiss' symptoms. She was glad she wouldn't have to make Weiss uncomfortable by bringing the medical personnel.

. . .

Weiss watched Penny until she disappeared out the door, leaving the heiress alone in silence. She folded her hands over her stomach beneath the blankets and stared up at the ceiling before closing her eyes. She concentrated on her breathing, focused on the coolness of the cloth on her forehead.

She could feel her aura flowing through her veins, but it was slow-moving and felt thinner than usual; she'd done this to herself, so she deserved the punishment.

She must've gotten a bit ahead of herself with relaxing, because a particularly deep inhale left her sputtering and coughing, and after that, the tickling sensation in her throat only got more irritating, and the coughing harsher. She rolled onto her side with a groan, then onto her stomach to try and stifle the bout of coughs.

. . .

 **Penny heard Weiss** coughing and quickened her step, swiftly entering the room. She set down the medicine and brought the water over to Weiss, gently patting her back.

"Here, drink," Penny said, offering the glass. It was killing her to see Weiss like this - she was sick and Penny couldn't help her as much as she would have liked to; she couldn't fight this battle for Weiss.

. . .

Weiss felt a gentle hand on her back and she slowly rolled herself over and pushed herself up. Her shoulders loosened a bit in relief when she saw Penny had returned, and Weiss nodded when she was offered the water.

She reached out with shaking hands, still coughing every few seconds. She ended up spilling a bit of the water onto her lap, and it took her a moment to finally get the rim to her lips and swallow.

She pursed her lips immediately afterward to keep it down as another cough rose up in her throat. Weiss swallowed quickly and inhaled sharply before more coughs raked her lungs. She tried again, taking another sip, and this time it went down a bit more easily.

Weiss grunted and cleared her sore throat as she met Penny's concerned gaze.

"Thank you…"

. . .

 **Penny smiled reassuringly,** still gently rubbing Weiss' back to try and help with her coughing. Moving back over to the table, she grabbed the small packet of medicine and brought it over to Weiss.

"Here, the nurse gave me this. It should help." Penny set the medicine down next to Weiss. She removed the washcloth and refreshed it, as well as opening one of the windows to let in some fresh air.

. . .

Weiss dipped her head as she accepted the medicine, putting her water aside for the moment to let her fingers fumble with tearing open the plastic corner. There were a few pills inside, all of which needed to be swallowed whole, and Weiss felt a prickle in her stomach at the thought.

She made sure her coughing had paused for the moment before steeling herself. Pouring the three pills into her palm, she quickly tilted her head back to swallow them before following up with another gulp of water. By some miracle, everything went down before her next bout of coughing started.

Weiss took another sip of water, but another cough interrupted her. The combination of disturbed air and water in her stomach resulted a small hiccup working its way past her lips.

" _Hic!_ " Weiss quickly pressed a palm to her lips, but evidently she'd given herself a full case of the hiccups. "Oh. - _hic!_ \- goodness…"

She hoped it wouldn't be one of those spats that didn't go away for hours.

. . .

 **Penny straightened up** as Weiss hiccuped. Turning, she cocked her head to the side curiously.

Penny herself was susceptible to sudden bouts of hiccuping, something Weiss would tease her for, but right now Weiss was sick and the hiccups could give her trouble, disrupt her breathing or cause her to cough more. Sitting next to the heiress, Penny again started rubbing her back.

"Are you all right?" she asked, a slightly bemused, but concerned, smile on her face.

. . .

Weiss' hiccups kept jolting her, and Penny's soft hand on her back provided a bit of comfort. Penny often got a case of the pesky things as well, but only on the rare occasions when she lied about something; the bond of trust between her and Weiss a strong one, and it had been a long while since the last time Penny had lied to her.

" _-hic!-_ ahh.. yes I'm - _hic!-_ fine…" she mumbled unconvincingly. But with every spasm of her diaphragm came an ache in her stomach and a pain in her lungs.

She waited a couple moments, trying to focus on Penny's cajoling motions, but every time she'd thought they were finished, another would sneak up on her.

After a particularly hard jolt, she met Penny's eyes. "It… hurts a little…" she confessed. "P-Perhaps if you could - _hic!-_ kiss me, it would help me hold my breath?"

With her water gone now, it was the only method she could think of.

. . .

 **Penny worried over Weiss** as her hiccups continued, obviously hurting her a few times in her weakened state. She racked her brain trying to think of a way to help when Weiss thought of it first.

Penny smiled. Leaning in slowly, she pressed her lips to Weiss', wrapping her arms around her midsection to hold her close as she melted into the kiss.

. . .

Before another hiccup could send a wave of discomfort through her, Weiss was pleasantly distracted by the gentle warmth of Penny's lips against hers. The other girl pressed close to her chest, holding her tightly to steady her.

Weiss sighed as she breathed Penny in, letting her take her breath. But the next hiccup had her accidentally biting Penny's lip, and Weiss pulled back to mumble an apology.

"S-Sorry…"

Embarrassed due to her blunder now, Weiss' face turned redder than the fever had it previously, and she simply ducked her head onto the other girl's shoulder to hide it. She hiccuped again and whimpered afterward as it sent a pang through her stomach. She wanted to kiss her again for more reasons than to just forget the pain.

. . .

 **Penny flinched as Weiss'** hiccup caused the bite on lip, stifling her pained gasp. Weiss mumbled out an apology and buried her head in Penny's neck. Licking her lip, Penny found that Weiss hadn't bitten her very hard, no blood anyway.

Another hiccup shook Weiss' frame against her - she needed to help her deal with those…

Penny smiled as an idea formed.

"Why don't you make it up to me and kiss it better?" She smiled slyly; if life was going to hand Penny ways to get the heiress to kiss her, who was she to complain?

. . .

At first, she'd truly thought Penny was upset with her, and Weiss was about to apologize again. She lifted her head and met the girl's eyes. But before she could let any guilt surface, she caught Penny's eye and realized her words had been light-hearted.

Relaxing, Weiss sighed and tried a tiny smile.

"Of course."

She honestly couldn't think of a better way to apologize.

Slipping her arms around Penny's waist, she pulled her in again, closing her eyes as she pressed their lips together a second time. She managed to hold back on nipping this time as she hiccuped into Penny's mouth a few times, her breath hitching a little.

But eventually, she melted into the contact and forgot about the nuisances in her chest, focusing entirely on Penny now. Her hiccups were stifled, and after a few moments of soft, prolonged kisses, they vanished completely.

Relieved, Weiss pulled away and rested her head on the girl's shoulder again a she caught her breath, feeling warm for different reasons now.

. . .

 **Weiss hiccuped a few** more times during their kiss, but managed not to bite her this time, and they were able to continue until her hiccups subsided. Finally breaking the kiss, Penny smiled as she held Weiss close, nuzzling into her neck.

"How are you feeling now?" Penny mumbled into soft white hair.

. . .

Weiss sighed over the girl's shoulder, relieved that the hiccups had stopped, but evidently, the rest of her symptoms weren't about to allow her to relax just yet. A sharp shiver ran through her, and yet her entire body felt hot.

Her stomach growled, but she immediately dismissed it. "I don't want to risk eating anything. I'm not sure if it'd stay down," she confessed. "I'm sorry. I wish I could heal as quickly as you can so I don't have to trouble you." She squeezed Penny again, breathing thickly.

. . .

 **Penny felt Weiss shiver** but could still tell her body was hot and she was sweating. She rubbed Weiss' shoulders, squeezing comfortingly.

"Okay. But I should get you something more to drink. Maybe you could try eating some toast or crackers in a little while?" Penny offered. "And the only trouble you're giving me is that I have to keep telling you it's _no_ trouble."

. . .

Her words made Weiss feel better; Penny was a professional at that. The heiress smiled and nodded.

"Okay. I'll try…"

But she didn't let Penny go just yet, wanting to feel more contact from her. Weiss held her there for a moment more, also being held by her. Her body continued to shiver against her will, almost convulsing, and Weiss clung to the ginger-haired girl until it subsided.

When she felt she would be all right for a few moments without her, she let Penny go reluctantly.

"Okay. I'll… try to rest until you get back."

. . .

 **Penny smiled, not letting go** of Weiss as the girl shivered in her embrace. She held her until it subsided, gently rubbing her back and mumbling encouragement into her ear. Penny nodded, slowly getting up.

"All right! I'll be a quick as can be!" With that, she got up and left immediately, striding through the halls of the Schnee manor.

. . .

Weiss watched her go again before lying down on her side. She located the damp wash cloth that had fallen aside and slipped it back into place on her forehead. The shivers continued, and Weiss curled herself up in her blankets, imagining Penny was still there beside her.

Now that she was alone again, she was aware of her rapid pulse, and she flipped onto her stomach in hopes to stifle it. It didn't take long for her mind to start to slip, and she lost the battle to keep her eyelids up. She dozed uneasily, losing consciousness after the heat rose to her face.

. . .

 **Penny returned to the** room as quickly as she could. Upon returning she found Weiss in an uneasy sleep. Setting down the water, she gently sat down on the bed.

Weiss was sweating and her skin was flush and warm. Penny frowned; seeing her like this was tearing her up inside. She gently brushed a strand of hair out of Weiss' face, feeling how hot she was. Penny decided to ready a cool bath for her; as much as she wanted Weiss to rest she was burning up.

. . .

Weiss moaned softly as she heard the door open, being roused back into the waking world by the sound. She longed to welcome Penny back, but she lacked the strength to push herself up.

All she could manage was to open her eyes and blink blearily up at her, blue eyes glazed over from fatigue. She dipped her head to wipe some of the perspiration onto her arm before letting out a withering sigh.

Penny caressed her cheek briefly before slipping away to Weiss' personal bathroom, and the heiress let her eyelids fall shut once more.

. . .

 **After filling the tub with** slightly cool water, Penny walked back out into the room, moving back to Weiss. The heiress was sweating and panting, dizzily looking up at her as she stirred from her fitful rest.

"All right, I'm going to get you in a nice bath. Come on."

Penny gently slipped her arms beneath Weiss, lifting her up bridal style and carrying her to the bathroom. She set her down to help her undress piece by piece. Penny blushed but steeled herself; Weiss needed her right now. She wouldn't let her bashfulness get in the way.

. . .

She felt the blankets being pulled away from her and she shivered against the cold air that met her. But when Penny lifted her up carefully, she felt warmer - just a bit. She was still amazed at how effortless it was for the girl to lift her and carry her.

Penny brought Weiss to her personal bathroom and sat her down on the sink, helping slide her clothing off. Weiss shuddered again and reached for a towel, quickly wrapping it around herself for decency's sake and to keep herself a bit warmer in the water.

But before Penny could help her into the bath, Weiss placed an appreciative kiss on her cheek, nuzzling lightly into her neck.

. . .

 **It was a bit awkward** helping Weiss out of her clothing, but Weiss' sickness was forefront in her mind; she wasn't here to gawk, as much as she would have liked to, she was here to help Weiss get better.

Penny smiled as Weiss nuzzled into her. She carried her over to the tub full of cool water.

"This is going to be chilly, but we have to keep you from overheating." She gently lowered Weiss into the tub. The poor girl hissed from the temperature as she slipped in.

. . .

Weiss braced herself as Penny lifted her again, holding her over the tub; she could feel the coolness wafting up from the water. Then, she was lowered in slowly, and Weiss all but yelped, clinging to Penny's natural warmth for as long as she could before gradually easing her grip.

After a moment, she let her arms slip away from the girl's shoulders, and Weiss submerged herself into the water. Her body had been flushed red from fever, sweat coating her skin, but now the contrasting water temperature fought off the stifling feeling. She closed her eyes, shivering as she adjusted, letting the water take away some of the heat.

Slowly, the heiress cupped some of the water in her palms and pressed it to her face, rinsing off the sweat that had beaded there. She sighed, running her fingers through her hair briefly before hugging herself, her breath still coming heavily through parted lips. But she did her best to send Penny a tiny smile.

"Th-Thank you. I think I feel a bit better."

. . .

 **Penny smiled, leaning** on the edge of the tub as Weiss relaxed into the cool bath.

"I know it must feel cold, but you're burning up." Penny reached over and felt Weiss' forehead again - still hot but better. "I'll be right here if you need me! So just try and relax." She squeezed her charge's shoulder before taking to running her hands gently through Weiss' hair.

. . .

Weiss nodded and let her posture slump just a bit, leaning back against the edge of the tub. She let Penny's touch soothe her, trying to focus on her gentle motions rather than the chilly water.

She readjusted her towel a bit underwater, letting her eyelids fall shut as she let the water work its magic on her flushed skin. Heat still wafted off of her, and she murmured a sigh to the girl behind her.

"I'm just… going to nap a moment… like this…"

It was hardly an option though. She was so worn out from her sickness that she was unconscious within seconds, her eyebrows still furrowed slightly.

. . .

 **Penny smiled fondly** as the heiress drifting off, even as she spoke. She leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to her flushed cheek.

"Rest well, my Weiss!" she whispered.

She was content to sit by and run her hands through Weiss' hair soothingly until she awoke and needed her help again. Penny would be here for her.

. . .

Weiss slept rather nicely then, but she woke not long afterward to find her skin tingling a little. The water was cooler now, and she shivered again, hugging herself a little tighter. She blinked her eyes open and met Penny's.

"I think… my fever's gone down…" she murmured. "But I fear I've got the chills now. If it's not one thing, it's another…"

Her chest did feel less clogged however, and her breath came a bit more easily, though it still trembled with every inhale. She reached her arms up toward the other girl.

"Would you h-help me up, please?"

. . .

 **Penny popped her head up** as Weiss moved. Smiling crookedly, Penny placed her hand on Weiss' forehead, finding her fever had indeed gone down.

"Good! The fever's down." Penny moved to help Weiss up. "Besides, I can help you get rid of those chills!" she winked.

She helped Weiss out and sat her down on a stool as she brought over a fresh dry towel and clean nightwear, figuring Weiss would want to be comfortable. Draping the dry towel over Weiss' shoulders, she grabbed another and allowed Weiss to swap it with the wet one.

"We'll get you dry and in some fresh clothes, and then I'll help you warm right up!"

. . .

Penny lifted her up again, and Weiss held onto her shoulders lightly, shivering harder as she left the water. The sound of falling droplets trickling echoed around the tiled walls for a moment before the heiress was lowered down again.

Weiss slowly peeled the damp towel away from her form and accepted the dry one Penny had offered her. She padded herself dry as best she could with her aide's help, and then slipped into a fresh nightgown. The fabric was soft and dry - much appreciated after the cold bath. But her hair was still dripping, and she did her best to wring it out.

Another shudder ran through her and she leaned closer toward Penny. "I th-think I'm ready to get warmed up now," she confessed a bit sheepishly. Her heart was still fluttering, and she hoped Penny's close company could calm it.

. ..

 **Penny grinned,** picking the heiress up bridal style once again.

"Of course! Let's get you nice and warm and comfortable again!"

She sauntered back into the bedroom, gently laying Weiss down on the bed before snuggling up next to her. Wrapping her arms around the shivering girl, she tucked Weiss' head under her chin and held her close.

"There! Does that feel better?" She kissed the top of Weiss' head and pulled the blankets up over her.

. . .

The second she was lain down onto the soft comforters of her bed once more, Weiss let out a long sigh. She pulled a few of the blankets up to cover Penny and herself before huddling close to her. She shuddered again, making a chilled sound as she adjusted to the other girl's body heat.

She quickly ducked her face into her elbow when she felt a sneeze coming on. "Ah-! Ah-chii!" She sniffled once and gave a short moan before focusing on Penny again.

"This feels… _much_ better…" she breathed. "Thank you again, Penny." She wrapped her arms around the girl's waist, burrowing into her collar, listening to the tiny ticking noises and the workings of her body that had become so familiar to her over the years.

. . .

 **Penny held Weiss close.** Thankfully the shivering died down as she warmed.

"It was my pleasure, as always! Now get some rest. You'll feel better when you wake up." She nuzzled Weiss' hair with fondness.

Penny closed her eyes, focusing on Weiss' breathing as she gradually relaxed.

"Just rest. I'll be right here if you need me!"

It was a promise.

. . .

Weiss did her best to obey and let her eyelids fall shut as she pressed herself closer to Penny. She wasn't as hot as she'd been before due to her fever, and the chills were gradually lessening with each passing moment until only a gentle warmth remained.

Her breathing slowed as she drifted off into a light sleep, comfortable in Penny's arms.

When she next woke, it was dark in the room, and the silver light coating the blankets suggested it was nighttime. Weiss peeked up at Penny slowly, in case she was in sleep mode, murmuring softly to her.

"Penny? I feel much better now, but… I can't be sure myself."

. . .

 **Penny looked down** as Weiss spoke, her bright green eyes alight in the darkened room. She hadn't really slept much, spending most of her time listening to Weiss' gentle breathing, much better than how labored it had been earlier. Penny leaned down and pressed her lips to Weiss' forehead, smiling when she detected no fever.

"Stupendous! The fever hasn't come back." Shifting herself down further, she placed her head against Weiss' chest. "Your heart sounds better again as well! Are you hungry now? I can get you something if you are." Seeing Weiss was better made her immensely more peppy.

. . .

Weiss was still as Penny went about giving her diagnosis. The kiss to her forehead was welcomed, and she savored the contact for as long as it lasted. When Penny dipped herself down to press an ear to Weiss' chest, the heiress tried to slow her breathing, waiting until the other girl spoke.

"That's good," she sighed. "But as for something to eat, that won't be necessary. It's the middle of the night, after all. I'll last until morning, I promise."

She held Penny a bit closer and kissed the top of her head. "For now, we should rest. And I mean you as well. You've been rushing around taking care of me today even when you're still recovering yourself. Get some rest…"

She closed her eyes as her voice faded into a thin wisp of air, placing one more kiss on the crown of Penny's head.

. . .

 **Penny sighed,** relaxing back down into the sheets with Weiss snuggling close to her as she prepared to get some, admittedly much-needed, rest.

"I'll always be there when you need me, no matter what." Penny snuggled into Weiss and closed her eyes, allowing herself to drift off to sleep with her.

* * *

 **A/N: I remember we'd really wanted to do the hiccups idea just so they could kiss each other haha. Hope you enjoyed! One part left to go!**

 **Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**This is the final part! What would it be without... more drama?**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Part 5.

The next morning felt familiar when Weiss opened her eyes. She found Penny cuddled up in her arms, listening to her pulse, and she found herself unwilling to move.

She placed gentle kisses on the girl's temples, caressing her hair and the healing wound on the back of her head before her hands trailed down to the girl's back and up again.

As she did so, Weiss inhaled several deep, experimental breaths, making sure there was no pain as her ribcage expanded. Her exhales were less shaky than they had been yesterday, and her skin wasn't wet with perspiration anymore. Relief washed over her as she hugged Penny closer.

An aimless whisper found its way up.

"I love you."

. . .

 **Penny sighed contently.**

Weiss' heartbeat was smooth and rhythmic in her ears, her arms wrapped comfortably around her. Weiss breathed deeply and Penny could tell she was much better than yesterday.

Perhaps she could just lie here a while longer; no one would question them showing up a little late after being sick.

Penny couldn't help but smile as Weiss whispered out her affection. Penny hummed contently whispering back.

"I love you, too."

. . .

Despite the fact that she hadn't eaten much yesterday, Weiss didn't feel hungry at all, and so she didn't particularly care if she missed breakfast this morning. She could sense Penny was awake and nestled her closer, releasing another sigh.

After a few moments of trailing slow kisses over the girl's cheeks, Weiss rolled over onto her back, pulling Penny on top of her as she often did.

"Good morning," she whispered before pulling her down into a long kiss.

Weiss breathed into her, not concerned about passing her cold onto Penny, as she could not get sick.

There was no urgency in the air as they continued to share lazy kisses, and Weiss closed her eyes again as she melted into each one.

"I love you…" she sighed. Perhaps her sickness was making her a bit sentimental, because she babbled on. "When I'm with you… it feels like there are no wasted heartbeats anymore. Every single one _means_ something if you're there to share it."

. . .

 **Penny smiled as** Weiss pulled her on top. She was about to return Weiss' 'good morning' but she was silenced as Weiss pulled her down into a kiss, and then another, and another, and then Penny lost count.

She focused on Weiss, returning every kiss and savoring every moment.

Penny couldn't think of another time she had seen Weiss display this much emotion, love or otherwise. Maybe it was from the fever - Penny wouldn't complain. She grinned lazily at Weiss' lovey babbling.

"When I'm with you it feels like I _have_ a heart to beat!" She pressed her forehead to Weiss'. "And if I make you feel like that, then that's good enough for me."

. . .

Weiss chuckled softly before pulling Penny back down to her chest. "Remember what I said a while ago? My heart belongs to you. It's all yours, Penny… But I'm so happy I can make you feel that way, too."

She held her there, letting her listen again, as having Penny hear her heartbeat no longer embarrassed her but rather made the heiress feel complete. Her pulse jumped a bit due to the strong emotions coursing through her, but it was a good kind of speed. It made her feel alive.

She lost track of time, closing her eyes again, and she may even have dozed off at one point or another.

But before she could become too lazy and stay in bed _all_ day, there came a loud growl from her stomach. That really made her heart go faster, and she buried her face into Penny's hair bashfully.

"I… I guess we should get up now…"

. . .

 **Penny smiled, settling** into her place listening to Weiss' heart beat for her. She smiled as it went a little faster, making up for the heart Penny did not have.

Penny simply lay there, completely content to just while away the time with Weiss. A loud grumbling suddenly filled her ears, followed by Weiss burying her face in Penny's hair. Penny giggled. "Well, you didn't eat _anything_ yesterday. Come to think of it, neither did I…"

. . .

"You're right. If we don't keep up with our nutrition, we're both going to face consequences sooner or later. Come on, then."

She sat up slowly, keeping Penny in her lap as she did so. Weiss parted her jaws in a wide yawn before running her hands through her frazzled hair, then through Penny's bouncy curls. She kissed her one more time before letting the girl slide off of her.

"Let's get changed and head to breakfast. And perhaps another walk in the garden could do us some good."

. . .

 **Penny climbed off** the bed, stretching her arms over her head as she headed for the door to go to her room to change.

"Roger! Food and then a walk through the gardens! Sounds nice." She smiled over her shoulder.

Walking one door down to her own room, she went about getting changed and straightening herself out in preparation for the day ahead, humming pleasantly to herself as she did.

. . .

Weiss watched her go before she went to her drawers and picked a simple outfit to change into. Her father had yet to hire a new tutor for her, and so Weiss would not have lessons again today, or until a new teacher was called in, so she allowed herself to dress informally.

She freshened up and met with Penny again in the hallway, and together they headed to breakfast.

It took Weiss a little while to eat, but she went slowly, letting her body adjust. Penny's gentle encouragement did wonders for her all the while.

They headed to the gardens afterward, walking slowly, enjoying the scenery when they finally sat down on their usual bench. Weiss pulled Penny into her lap and pecked her cheeks with soft kisses. Her eyes flicked briefly to the flowers around them before she sighed.

"It's going to start getting cold soon, so we should come out here as often as we can before the flowers start dying."

. . .

 **Breakfast when slowly** with Weiss being careful not to gorge herself and upset her stomach, which was good. Leaving shortly after to walk the gardens in the pleasant weather, they found themselves at their usual bench. Penny nodded, humming in approval.

"We should come out here after it snows, too! I love seeing the garden covered in the fresh snow!" She beamed as she cupped Weiss' cheek fondly.

. . .

"Oooh, a very good call!" Weiss agreed. "I love the snow as well. It's beautiful. And the cold isn't so bad if you've got someone there to keep you warm." She kissed Penny's lips.

They relaxed for a while, napping in one another's arms, sharing gentle kisses and soft murmurs as the hours went on.

Only when the sun started to sink over the garden's walls did they have to slowly stretch and get the feeling back in their legs before standing and heading back inside.

Weiss' father and sister were relieved to see her eating again, and Weiss managed to finish almost all of her supper before she found herself back in her room in her sleepwear with Penny at her side, reading over the pages of the heiress' book with her.

Weiss looked up briefly, sliding a hand up to the girl's shoulder.

"How's your injury? Is there any pain left?"

. . .

 **Penny smiled, nuzzling** into the side of Weiss' neck, murmuring her answer into her hair.

"Sensational! I can't even tell it's there anymore. What about you? How are you feeling?" Penny returned, placing soft kisses on Weiss' cheek.

. . .

Weiss hummed happily at Penny's reply.

"That's good. As for me, I'm doing rather… sensational myself, I suppose," she chuckled. "No fevers, no pain, no headaches. But…" She paused for a moment to yawn into her elbow. "I _am_ still a bit tired after everything."

She closed her book and put it aside before guiding Penny into her lap again and sliding down beneath the blankets. She adjusted the covers, pulling them up over the two of them, hiding them from the rest of the world as the heiress kissed her fully.

When she pulled away, she gave the girl a mischievous look. "Or maybe I _am_ still sick, and the only way to cure it is kissing."

. . .

 **Penny nodded happily** in hearing Weiss was feeling better, if a bit tired. She allowed Weiss to pull her down and wrap them together in the soft warm blankets of the bed separating them from the rest of the world as Weiss leaned in and kissed her. Penny smirked devilishly.

"Of course! Treatment must be applied thoroughly and often!" She leaned in, capturing the heiress' delicate lips with her own again.

. . .

Weiss hummed against her, feeling the vibrations strong in her own chest. She locked her arms behind Penny's neck and held the kiss for as long as possible. Her years of practicing singing worked in her favor now, and she was able to hold her breath for quite some time to enjoy the feeling.

When she finally pulled away, she went limp on her back, gasping deeply as she allowed her lungs to expand again. She smiled up at the other girl and feigned innocence.

"I'm not sure if I'm better yet. What's the diagnosis?"

. . .

 **It was only due to** Penny being an android that she was able to hold her breath for as long as Weiss, savoring the intimacy. When Weiss finally pulled away and rolled breathlessly onto her back, Penny practically collapsed into her side, breathing deeply into the heiress' snow-white hair.

Penny laughed breathlessly. "I think you'll make a full recovery!" She placed a kiss on the girl's cheek. "Eventually…" she grinned.

. . .

Weiss was satisfied with the response.

"That's good." She smiled as another kiss was placed upon her cheek.

She then moved the blankets down a bit so they could breathe fresher air. Weiss opened her arms and pulled Penny in, putting them in their usual positions for sleeping.

Though she hadn't done much today, yesterday's sickness had worn her out, and the heiress was finding it hard to keep her eyes open for much longer. She yawned again, exhaling a sigh into Penny's hair.

"I don't think I can last…" she mumbled, closing her eyes. "Hopefully tomorrow… I'll be a bit more lively…"

. . .

 **Penny hummed again** as she was shifted atop Weiss into their normal positions, Weiss' heartbeat filling her ears with its warm love.

A soft breath rustled her hair as Weiss yawned, still tired from yesterday, Penny guessed. Weiss' breathing calmed as she relaxed.

"Good. Rest. I'll be here when you wake up, for a lively day or another lazy day! I'll be right here with you."

Weiss drifted off, and Penny dozed off quickly behind her.

* * *

A few days later found Weiss fully recuperated, and once she was entirely better, her father began searching for new tutors again. And after many more background checks than usual, one woman was finally hired.

For the first few lessons, Weiss' father stayed in the room himself as a precaution, but Weiss could tell this woman was no threat to anyone - she was merely a teacher.

Weiss enjoyed her lectures, and she held well-educated discussions with her new teacher. Penny would join in at times as well.

Presently, her lessons for the day had just ended, and Weiss dipped her head in farewell as her teacher made for the exit.

"Another great lesson," Weiss commented to Penny as the two of them stood. "I think I'd like to stretch my legs a bit, though."

. . .

 **The new teacher had** been checked and double checked by Mr. Schnee, and he had sat in the room for the first several occasions.

But none of it could match Penny's own vigil. She sat directly next to Weiss wearing a stony expression that promised a swift end to any ulterior motives, should they arise.

While the teacher may have been decidedly uncomfortable for the first few lessons, she had understood, and with nothing to hide Penny had quickly warmed to her.

"I quite enjoyed it as well." She replied standing with Weiss. "Shall we head to the gardens then?" She already knew the answer.

. . .

"Perfect. After all, this will be one of the last warm days of the season. The flowers will start to wilt soon, so we'd best enjoy them while we can." She entwined her fingers with Penny's and together they made for the back door.

The air outside was warm, but the breeze was cool, a sign that summer would be drawing to an end soon. In the colder months, Weiss' father would try to keep her indoors more, though the heiress often persuaded him to allow her out every few days regardless. She loved the snow, and she couldn't wait to see and feel and taste it again this year; it was a welcome temporary replacement as the flowers rested.

They made it to the gardens and took to their usual bench. Weiss pulled Penny close to her side, but just before she could close her eyes and start to relax, a voice sounded from the mansion.

"Father?" Weiss murmured. "Is he calling for you?" she wondered, nudging the ginger-haired girl.

. . .

 **Just as Penny was about** to relax into Weiss' side, she heard Mr. Schnee call her name across the gardens. Wincing slightly from the interruption, she sat up again.

"I think so…" Penny stood, looking back to Weiss, slightly worried. "I'll be right back, and then we can relax."

Penny gave a smile before jogging off towards the house. She would only be gone for moments. Weiss would be all right for that long… right?

. . .

Weiss nodded and watched Penny go before turning back around to face the garden. "What could Father possibly want with her?" she mumbled, leaning back against the bench.

She closed her eyes and tried to enjoy the quiet, though it felt wrong without Penny next to her. The sunlight was warm and the air was fresh, but it was always more enjoyable when Penny's presence was there as well. Like this, it felt almost unnatural.

A sound came from behind her, and she quickly turned around, facing the garden wall. But the source was merely a squirrel rummaging about in the bushes. She let out a sigh.

"I'm becoming far too paranoid…"

She was about to turn back to face the flowers when suddenly there was a heavy hand on her mouth, strong hands yanking her arms brutally upward behind her back and forcing her to stand.

She screamed, but no sound came out.

. . .

 **Penny jogged over,** quickly finding Mr. Schnee and walking up to him.

"Mr. Schnee, you called for me?" Penny asked curiously.

"Indeed. I wanted to warn you - in secrecy - that there may be another kidnapping attempt soon," he replied, suspicion etched onto his weary face. "I have reason to believe so."

"Another?" Penny exclaimed, clenching her fists. "I won't let anything happen to her, sir-!"

And just like that she felt… off, like a twitch in the back of her mind. She didn't like it.

"Weiss…"

She looked back into the garden. Where she had left Weiss. Alone.

Without another word she turned on her heel and took off at a sprint, determination mixing with concern. She ran more quickly than she ever knew she could.

. . .

She felt herself being lifted up, jostled amongst different persons, but she couldn't see anything; they'd tightly tied a cloth over her eyes in addition to taping her mouth. There were also bindings on her wrists behind her back; she could do absolutely nothing to save herself.

She was entirely helpless.

She was _pathetic_.

With her hands bound, she couldn't even move her hands to call upon her semblance.

The panic that seized her was painful, even more so internally than the physical pain of being grabbed, thrown over shoulders, and carried over the garden walls.

There was an impact as her captor landed, and Weiss felt the breath leave her lungs, blocked by the tape over her lips. It was disorienting, and part of her wished she could at the very least be unconscious for it all; it might be better than having to feel this terror to the point she was about to be sick.

She could hear gruff voices shouting orders, felt herself being shoved into a vehicle - likely a van of sorts. She was tossed inside and crashed to the floor, crumpled on her side and left to shudder and choke. The engine had already started, and within seconds she could sense the motion of the vehicle as it started speeding off.

. . .

 **Penny ran as fast as she could,** sprinting through the garden. She didn't see Weiss as she came to the bench and kept on running past it without a second thought.

She glimpsed figures climbing back over the garden walls and narrowed her eyes, leaning into her sprint, her swords floating into the air around her.

Embedding her blades into the wall ahead of her, she scaled the height in seconds, using the weapons as stepping stones. Again, she glimpsed the men quickly piling into a van.

She ran, vaulting obstacles and sliding under others, she pushed herself.

 _They. Had. Weiss._

No one would hurt her again - not while Penny still breathed.

The van rumbled to life and began rolling away. Penny leapt high off of a fence, throwing one of her swords, the puppeteer strand sailing after it. The sword embedded itself into the roof of the van and Penny was yanked through the air, rapidly drawing in the line. Bracing herself, she prepared to land on the roof. Hard.

This was going to hurt.

. . .

She was only aware of a few things. One of which was that there were men in the back of the van with her; she could make out their voices and heavy footsteps as they spoke of ransom money.

At one point, she felt the tip of a boot slide beneath her chin and kick her over so she lie on her back.

The only other things she was aware of were the motion of the vehicle, and the panic from within her own body. Her lungs were screaming for air, her body aching from how roughly she'd been treated during her capture.

But worst of all was her heart, hammering so rapidly and with such speed it made every second painful. Soon, it was the only thing she could feel, the only thing she could make sense of.

But thoughts of her heart led her mind to one other place.

 _Penny…_

 _. . ._

 **She hit the roof hard** enough to leave a significant dent, her sword keeping her rooted to the vehicle's roof. Standing, she motioned two of her blades flying through the air to sink into the engine, thick black smoke billowing out as the vehicle began to decelerate.

Moving to the back of the van, she hung onto the edge, and with the help of her weapons ripped one of the doors clean off its hinges.

She saw Weiss, bound and gagged near the front of the vehicle.

The sight made her… red. She felt red with _rage_.

One of the thugs moved towards her. She threw another sword, latching it into the front wall of the van, then pulling herself forward she shoulder-tackled the man as hard as she could. His head cracked against the wall and he sank to the floor without a sound.

The next one tried to pull a gun on her. She smacked his arm to the side and kicked him hard enough to send him flying through the other door of the van.

The last one swung clumsily at her. She ducked under his punch and delivered an uppercut to his jaw, making sure he wouldn't get back up.

With all but the unknowing driver dealt with, and the van rolling to a stop, she knelt next to Weiss and began removing her bindings.

"It's okay Weiss, I'm here."

. . .

It wasn't long before a violent clatter started shaking the van, and Weiss knew instantly what - no, _who_ \- it was.

Weiss knew Penny would come to save her; it was only a matter of time. But during the attack, her mind could only go to the worst-case scenario, and she could only remember the last time she had been kidnapped, before Penny had been there to help.

There were shouts and grunts, and Weiss felt the van's speed begin to slow before everything went eerily still for a split second.

Then, a light, familiar patter of footsteps, and the next thing she knew her hands were free, the cloth was removed from over her eyes, and her bit was gone.

She gasped and looked up at Penny, tears already streaming down Weiss' face as she coughed, attempting to cry out her name to no avail. The panic still had her in its clutches, and it was hard to breathe as she whimpered in Penny's arms.

. . .

 **Penny pulled Weiss in close,** holding the heiress tightly against her chest as she rocked slightly. She buried her face in Weiss' neck, a few tears spilling down her face and into ivory hair.

"It's okay. I'm here." She murmured over and over again, half to reassure Weiss and half to reassure herself as she clutched the girl as though her sanity depended upon it. "I'll never leave your side again, I… I-" She choked on a sob. "Never again…"

. . .

If there was anything that could bring Weiss comfort after all of this, it was Penny. Even though she could clearly hear and feel the girl sobbing against her, just the fact that she was _there_ was enough to calm the heiress a little.

Her arms reached up shakily, hands grasping the back of Penny's dress, but she was still weak, and her fingers failed to find purchase. Weiss tried again, clinging this time until her nails curled down into her own palms through the fabrics of Penny's clothes.

Her pulse still slammed within her veins, making her entire body shudder, but she could feel Penny's aura resonating with her own. It was small but it was warm, and as Penny lifted her up and pressed their bodies together, Weiss felt her own aura flare. Her tears were seeping into Penny's shoulder and she still gasped for breath, but she knew she would be all right now.

"P-Pen…ny…"

. . .

 **Weiss sounded so weak.** It tore Penny up inside to hear her like this.

She picked the girl up bridal style and carried her out of the van, flaring her aura to strengthen Weiss as she did.

"I'm here, Weiss," she soothed. "It's okay. I'm here. I'll protect you. No matter what."

. . .

She felt herself being lifted up, and Weiss moved her arms to encircle Penny's shoulders, burying her face into the side of her neck as she continued to sob.

All she could feel now was guilt - guilt for being so helpless and making Penny come rescue her, guilt for being incompetent and unable to save herself. Penny could've gotten hurt again because of her. It was all she could think of at the moment, and the thoughts consumed her.

Her voice slipped out past the gasps, fragile and thin.

"I… I'm sorry… I couldn't… I-I…"

She really was pathetic.

. . .

 **Penny stopped** dead in her tracks. "No," she deadpanned. "No, Weiss please, this-" She choked back a sob. "This is _my_ fault. I… I should have been there. That's what I'm _supposed_ to do... what I was _made_ to do... And I wasn't there…"

She couldn't stand and slowly fell to her knees, still holding Weiss close to her. "I should have _been_ there… they almost got away. They almost got you... How could I let this happen to you?"

Her tears came more quickly now, her voice was strained and broken by sobs. Her only purpose for living was to protect Weiss and she hadn't been there when it mattered.

What point was there for her if she couldn't be there for Weiss?

. . .

She felt Penny drop to her knees, but Weiss never slackened her grip on the girl, fearing that if she did, she might disappear. She could hear the remorse clearly in Penny's voice, and it broke her heart, made the pain in her chest worsen.

"No… Penny…" she rasped. "I-It's not your fault… Father called you... you had to go to him and listen to him… I should've been able to take care of myself, but I couldn't. …It's n… it's not your fault. You saved me, and without you I don't know what would've happened-"

She cut off, coughing into her elbow, sniffling hard as she tried to swallow back more sobs. A pitiful whine rose up from the back of her throat as she held onto Penny.

. . .

 **Weiss coughed,** still trying to blame herself for what had happened. Penny wasn't convinced, but that could wait. Weiss needed medical attention.

Standing again, she continued carrying the girl back to the mansion, determination set on her face and guilt still smoldering in her eyes. She held Weiss tightly as she walked, but in the back of her mind where she still blamed herself for what had happened, she felt she didn't deserve Weiss, that someone better would have been able to protect her where she had not.

. . .

Penny grew silent as she continued to carry Weiss back home, and the heiress knew the girl was still blaming herself. She didn't want that, but she couldn't find the strength to voice her thoughts anymore, as she'd started to shiver and again started losing her breath.

In the end, after Penny had brought her back to the mansion, Weiss had been almost unconscious, unable to even be fearful as the doctors overlooked her. She could hear Winter's voice and was vaguely aware of what was going on; Weiss had suffered a severe panic attack and her condition was still unstable.

The doctors that had been called in brought her into a small room of the mansion where they could work, but their presence only made her more anxious, her phobia ensnaring her on top of the panic of the kidnapping attempt.

She didn't know if Penny was still beside her anymore, and the only thing Weiss could manage before she lost consciousness was a meek moan of her name.

. . .

 **Penny knew Weiss didn't** like the doctors, but she didn't have the training to help Weiss here; she needed professionals. The best she could do was stay close by and comfort Weiss when the doctors were done. Weiss had passed out, just whispering her name as she faded.

"I'm right here Weiss. Always."

She observed from her position near the wall. She would give the doctors room to work, but she would not leave.

 _I'll always be by your side. I have to be, to make up for what I've allowed to happen,_ Penny thought.

Weiss had suffered no serious injuries, but panic and that kind of stress can take its toll on the human body. The doctors did what they could, but in the end it would just be a matter of time; the heiress needed rest.

Even so, as soon as the doctors were done, Penny ushered them out of the room so they wouldn't be around when Weiss awoke. She pulled a chair next to Weiss' bed and sat down. Taking Weiss' hand in her own, she gently rubbed circles into her smooth skin, slowly trickling her aura into Weiss to help her.

Standing a silent vigil over the injured girl, she would protect her.

. . .

When Weiss came to, she couldn't remember right away where she was. She thought she was back in her room until she slowly opened her eyes to find the walls were a light purple color, not blue.

The memories came back to her slowly, but she wished they hadn't. If she was here in this room, that meant the medical personnel had tended to her when she wasn't conscious, and the thought made her stomach flip.

Her body felt sore and heavy, and she guessed they must have drugged her in some way to keep her from moving around. Her heart felt unnaturally slow, and she inhaled sharply.

But then she was aware of the gentle hand on hers, the warm trickle of aura seeping into her veins. Turning her head, she was relieved to find Penny there and whispered her name softly.

"Penny…"

She was just glad she wasn't alone, and there was no one else she would rather have woken up to.

. . .

 **Penny noticed Weiss** slowly stir and squeezed her hand gently, turning to her.

"I'm right here Weiss. You're safe. I promise." She smiled tiredly down at her. It had been… a while. There were bags under her eyes for sure, and she felt… muted, slow, but she had to be there for Weiss. "It's late. We can stay here or I can take you to your room," she offered.

. . .

Penny was clearly fatigued, even for an android; she did have a few human limitations after all, and still required some form of rest.

Weiss glanced to the window to find the sun was setting now and knew the girl at her side must have stayed there for hours, waiting for Weiss to wake.

Weiss returned her gaze to Penny's and let out a withering sigh.

"I don't think I can get up. And you're tired. I don't want you to have to carry me back to my room. So let's stay here," she decided.

She rolled over onto her side, feeling dull aches in her back from when she'd been thrown into the van. She did her best to make room for Penny, moving the blankets to invite her in. "Come lay with me… I… I need you, Penny…"

And it was the truth. She needed Penny now more than anything else, because she was the only one who could make Weiss feel safe, and the heiress was already ridden with fear that the memories of the attack might break free again.

. . .

 **Penny gave a tired smile.** She would have carried Weiss back to her room if she had wanted, but she did appreciate the thought and the bed. She slid herself in as Weiss made room.

"I'll always be here for you Weiss. Anything you need."

She snuggled up to her. Settling into place alongside Weiss, she let out a tired but contented sigh. She lay her head down on Weiss' chest as usual and was almost immediately asleep. She may have been an android but even she needed time to re-charge.

"I'll never let you down again..." she promised.

. . .

It felt infinitely better to finally have Penny beside her again; hers was a presence Weiss couldn't live without.

The girl slid perfectly into place at the heiress' side, and Weiss hugged her as tightly as she could manage and kissed her forehead.

"I know you won't, Penny. But you haven't let me down. You _saved_ me…"

She pulled the girl in to her chest and curled herself over Penny protectively, as if trying to dissuade the thoughts that she'd failed as Weiss' bodyguard. Weiss would never blame Penny for what had happened.

She felt the ginger-haired girl fade off into sleep, but no matter how hard she tried, Weiss couldn't follow her. She just kept thinking about the kidnapping, how quickly it'd all happened, how useless she had been. But she told herself feeling guilty would do no one any good.

She didn't sleep, but she closed her eyes and kept Penny close as the sunlight was replaced by moonlight, relishing her warmth.

. . .

 **Penny slowly awoke** about an hour or two into the night with the steady rhythm of Weiss' heart beating in her ears. Moving slightly, she hummed, looking up at the heiress. But she frowned after a moment.

"Weiss… you didn't sleep did you?" She worried for her; she knew Weiss was probably still shaken up from what had happened, but she needed to rest.

. . .

The moonlight slipped in through the single window, bathing the floor and sheets of the bed in silver. She hadn't realized how much time had passed until she felt Penny stir in her arms. Weiss looked down at her and offered a thin smile.

Her voice was raspy when she replied. "No… I couldn't… I'm just… whenever I close my eyes… I feel like it's happening again…" She shuddered, feeling her breath come quicker just mentioning it all.

But she tried to direct the attention away from herself and nuzzled Penny's cheek softly, her voice a ghost of a breath. "I'm glad you got some rest…"

. . .

 **Penny nodded** , crawling up and rolling Weiss on top of herself, switching their previous positions.

"I did. And now it's _your_ turn!" She pulled Weiss in against herself and softly ran a hand through her ivory hair, placing a kiss on top of her head. "I'm here. That'll never happen again. I promise." She waited a moment. "No hiccup so I can't be lying, right?"

. . .

Penny pulled Weiss on top of her, and the heiress sighed as she settled. She savored the feeling of Penny's hands stroking through her hair before she rested her head sideways on the girl's collar.

"Right," she smiled. "No hiccup."

Then, the heiress moved up slightly to lean over Penny, gazing tiredly down into her teal eyes. Without a word, she dipped her head, pressing their lips together in a long kiss. It was so warm Weiss almost forgot to pull away in the end and return to her previous position.

"I love you, Penny…"

. . .

 **Penny giggled softly** and nuzzled into Weiss' temple.

"I love you too, Weiss. Always."

For every bad thing that might happen, there were two or three good things. Penny was prepared to be by Weiss' side through it all.

. . .

As the two girls settled for bed once again, Penny pressed her cool body up against Weiss' warmth. Weiss' heart beat in time with the ticking and tocking of things inside of Penny's chest.

An isolated heiress with the power of ice at her fingertips, and a cold hard android with blades at her command.

And only they knew just how warm it could truly be when they were together.

* * *

 **A/N: Boy I'd forgotten just how _dramatic_ we'd made this... I do remember my partner said he loved the drama, haha. I was down because it meant fluff and cuddling afterward! Hope you enjoyed it as well! See you next fic!**

 **Please review!**


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